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BEIJING. – Top lawmakers in China yesterday voted to pass the highly expected Anti-foreign Sanctions Law, providing a comprehensive legal basis for blocking illegal foreign sanctions and preventing Chinese individuals and entities from suffering the damage resulting from such illegal sanctions. 

The new law will also offer a sufficient legal foundation for taking an equal position with the West by imposing necessary countermeasures, Chinese legal experts said. 

The standing committee of the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC) convened its 29th session on Monday in Beijing, which conclude yesterday, and a draft version of the anti-foreign sanctions law was put to review for the second time on Monday. According to the rules and procedures of the legislative body, a draft law in the agenda of the NPC standing committee meeting should generally be reviewed three times before being put to a vote. 

Legal experts believed that the law, the first of its kind in China, will provide strong legal support and guarantees for the country against unilateral and discriminatory measures imposed by foreign countries, will also have a deterrent effect in the face of Western-led hegemony and demonstrate the collective determination of Chinese decision-makers in safeguarding China’s core interests. 

Compared to the previous countermeasures issued by administrative institutions, the law underscores in a more comprehensive and systematic way the Chinese government’s attitude on the legal aspect when it confronts US government that has abused sanctions or long-arm jurisdiction to severely damage China’s sovereignty, security and development interests, said some legal experts who took part in the consultation process. 

The law will also enable China to strike a balance between countermeasures and negotiations in fixing divergences. 

The US government has been imposing sanctions on a growing number of Chinese entities such as high-tech firms Huawei and ZTE over the so-called national security risks, and sanctioned a number of senior Chinese officials under the US’ so-called Xinjiang and Hong Kong bills last year. In the eyes of legal experts, these have become regular moves for the US government in implementing illegal sanctions and carrying out long-arm jurisdiction against China. 

The law has also become a timely response to those unilateral moves, which may prompt more countries to follow suit. 

The latest legislative progress was also in line with the top legislature’s annual work schedule, unveiled in March, which indicated that China will enhance legislation in foreign-related fields, when Li Zhanshu, chairman of the standing committee of the NPC, vowed to focus on moves against sanctions and interference and countering long-arm jurisdiction, as well as enriching the legal “toolbox” for coping with foreign-related challenges and preventing risks.

The law could have an influence in two fields – blocking illegal sanctions imposed by other countries and the damage brought by those sanctions; and taking countermeasures against these sanctions,  said Tian Feilong, a legal expert at Beihang University in Beijing. – Global Times