China passes law to clamp down on US

Chinese President Xi Jinping introduced a new law to suppress the United States. On Saturday, the law will go into effect allowing China to take action against the “suppression of China’s development”.

Concretely, the new law aims to thwart foreign sanctions. Boudewijn Poldermans, a sinologist and member of the board of directors of the Netherlands China Business Council, calls it a kind of “self-defense mechanism”, intended to protect China’s interests and maintain the stability of the political system. “The Chinese economy is booming and there are all sorts of other problems. It is an attempt by the Chinese president to show who is boss and to be able to act if China is threatened with sanctions.

Anniversary

The law will be implemented on Saturday, July 1, which is no coincidence on the occasion of the centenary of the Chinese Communist Party. “It also plays a role in the context to show: we are not afraid of foreign countries,” says Poldermans.

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The new law does not only apply to US sanctions, but according to Poldermans, it is also aimed at other Western countries that are making things difficult for China with all kinds of sanctions. For example, foreign organizations and individuals are not allowed to help implement foreign sanctions under the new law. “Otherwise, as a company, you run the risk that, for example, you are no longer allowed to expand, that no permits are issued or that no visas are issued to foreign employees.”

Communication

Recently, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken visited China, where he also met with President Xi Jinping. The meeting seemed to give hope that relations between the two superpowers are improving. “Blinken tried to at least open the communication channels again, but it was only partially successful,” says Poldermans.

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According to Poldermans, Blinken has also tried to reopen lines of communication at the military level. But the Chinese didn’t like it. The Americans announced sanctions against the Chinese defense minister because he announced a lot of Russian planes and weapons in 2018. The Chinese want him off the sanctions list first.