Ministry blasts US sanctions on Chinese firm

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Tuesday the United States is fabricating an excuse to suppress Venezuela and a Chinese company after Washington announced sanctions on China National Electronics Import and Export Corp.

"We urge the US to ... take concrete measures to correct its mistake and lift all illegal sanctions," Hua told reporters at a regular news briefing in Beijing.

China will take all necessary measures to safeguard Chinese companies' legitimate rights and interests, she said.

The US Treasury Department said in a news release on Monday that it has sanctioned CEIEC "for supporting the illegitimate Maduro regime's efforts to undermine democracy in Venezuela, including its efforts to restrict internet service and conduct digital surveillance and cyber operations against political opponents".

Hua said China has always believed that sovereign equality and non-interference in other country's internal affairs are important principles of the UN Charter.

Whether the Venezuelan government is legitimate or not should not be decided by any third party, she added.

"We are against abusing the use of unilateral sanctions and other means to coerce the Venezuelan people into changing their development path," Hua said, noting that the Venezuelan government and people have the capability and wisdom to properly handle their own issues.

Regarding relations between China and Venezuela, the spokeswoman said China values this relationship and stands together with the Venezuelan people and supports the Venezuelan government's efforts to defend sovereignty, national dignity and social development rights.

"The two countries have always been engaged in practical cooperation in line with international rules, and it should not be politicized," she said.

Hua also said that China is a firm supporter of cybersecurity and believes that information and communications technology should be used to advance economic and social development as well as improving people's livelihood.

In response to Australia's accusations that the ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian used a fake photo in his recent social media post about the Australian soldiers' murder of Afghan people, Hua said on Tuesday that the accusations themselves are fake.

"It's not a photo, it's a graphic created with computer techniques," she said, adding that the Australian side is behaving so surprisingly strongly over the graphic because it is trying to deflect international criticism and condemnation of the soldiers' atrocities.

"I hope the relevant people can regain their sense of calm, look at China and its development from a rational perspective and take constructive measures to work together with China and properly solve issues," Hua said.