Sanctions: Government specifies its countermeasures

China intends to better arm itself against foreign sanctions. Premier Li Qiang signed a decree on Monday to expand the toolbox of countermeasures. It involves the concrete implementation of a 2021 law.

The law stipulates that the Chinese government can place individuals or companies involved in discriminatory measures against Chinese citizens or companies on a sanctions list. Those on the list may be denied entry to China or expelled from China. Their assets in China may be confiscated or frozen, and they may be prohibited from doing business with companies or individuals in China.

The new regulations outline the sectors in which foreign individuals and organizations operating in China can be banned from the country. These include education, science and technology, legal services, environmental protection, business and trade, culture, tourism, health and sports. The regulations also specify what steps the Chinese government can take to enforce the countermeasures, such as banning or restricting the import and export of relevant goods and technologies for individuals and organizations.

However, there appears to be a built-in bypass of the regulation in important cases. Article 16 states that "organizations or individuals under special circumstances" can carry out "restricted activities" with sanctioned persons and organizations with the approval of the relevant departments of the State Council. The prerequisite is that the urgency has been sufficiently explained to the authorities with "facts and reasons." This could open the door to contact with sanctioned foreign politicians from the US and the EU. Marcel Grzanna/Amelie Richter