China protests US sanctions

BEIJING - The Associated Press

China’s Foreign Ministry has accused the United States of damaging relations by imposing sanctions on a Chinese bank over its transactions with Iran.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in a statement released yesterday that China expresses its strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition against the sanctions and will lodge an official protest with Washington.

The White House on July 31 announced penalties on China’s Bank of Kunlun and an Iraqi bank that the Barack Obama administration says have helped the Islamic state evade international sanctions on its oil exports, a major input for the economy. Qin says China and Iran maintain normal relations and have open and transparent collaborations in energy and trade, none of which has anything to do with Iran’s nuclear weapons programs nor violates international rules.

Qin repeated China’s stance against nuclear proliferation.