China passes law to counter foreign sanctions

Experts say new law is China’s latest and most wide-ranging legal tool to respond to foreign sanctions.

China has passed a law to counter foreign sanctions, as it strives to diffuse pressure from the United States and the European Union over trade, technology, Hong Kong and Xinjiang. China’s top legislature, the National People’s Congress standing committee (NPC) passed the law on Thursday, according to state television CCTV. But details of its contents have not yet been released. The new law is China’s latest and most wide-ranging legal tool to respond to foreign sanctions and local experts say it is intended to give Chinese retaliatory measures more legitimacy and predictability.