China's Commerce Ministry has strongly condemned new U.S. sanctions imposed on Chinese enterprises due to their alleged ties to Iranian oil. The ministry stated that these sanctions improperly restrict Chinese companies from normal economic and trade activities with third countries. Beijing views the sanctions as a violation of international law and fundamental norms governing international relations.

The U.S. sanctions "improperly prohibit or restrict Chinese enterprises from conducting normal economic, trade and related activities with third countries... and violate international law and the basic norms governing international relations," the Commerce Ministry said in a statement.