China opposes illegal unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction, says FM spokesperson in response to NATO sanction threat

"China believes dialogue and negotiation are the only viable solution to the Ukraine crisis. We categorically oppose all illegal unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction," said Chinese FM spokesperson Lin Jian on Wednesday, in response to a Reuters report that NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned that countries such as Brazil, China and India could be hit very hard by secondary sanctions if they continued to do business with Russia.

"There are no winners in tariff wars," Lin noted. "Coercion and pressure cannot resolve fundamental issues. We urge all parties to foster conditions conducive to a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis and to contribute more substantively to peace talks."