China opposes U.S. sanctions bill, says will not accept 'long-arm jurisdiction'

China on Thursday (September 17, 2026) rejected the U.S. “long-arm jurisdiction” to impose tariffs on purchases of Russian oil and gas, saying its normal trade and economic cooperation with other countries should not be subject to interference or coercion by third parties.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act 2026 that authorises Mr. Trump to impose sanctions on Russia and steep tariffs on its leading trading partners such as India and China.

Asked about the bill, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a media briefing in Beijing that China opposes any action that lacks UN Security Council authorisation.

“China engages in normal economic and trade cooperation with other countries on the basis of equality and mutual benefit”, Mr. Guo said.