Chinese President Xi Jinping introduced a new law to suppress the United States. On Saturday, the law will go into effect allowing China to take measures to combat the “suppression of China’s development”.
Concretely, the new law aims to counter foreign sanctions. Boudewijn Poldermans, a sinologist and board member of the Dutch-China Business Council, calls it a kind of “self-defense mechanism”, aimed at protecting China’s interests and maintaining the stability of the political system. “The Chinese economy is roaring and there are all kinds of other problems. This is an attempt by the Chinese president to show who is in charge and the ability to take action if China is threatened with sanctions.”
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The law will be implemented on Saturday, July 1, not coincidentally on the centenary of the Chinese Communist Party. “This also plays a background role that needs to be shown: We are not afraid of foreign countries,” says Boeldermans.
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Not only does the new law apply to US sanctions, but according to Boldermans, it is also directed against other Western countries that make things difficult for China through all kinds of sanctions. For example, foreign organizations and individuals are not allowed to assist in carrying out foreign sanctions under the new law. Otherwise, as a business, you risk, for example, not being allowed to expand, not issuing permits, or not issuing visas to foreign employees.
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Recently, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken visited China, where he also met with President Xi Jinping. The meeting seemed to give hope that relations between the two superpowers were improving. “Blinken at least tried to open the channels of communication again, but that only partially worked,” says Boldermans.
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According to Boldermans, Blinken has tried to reopen channels of communication on a military level as well. But the Chinese did not like it. The Americans announced sanctions against the Chinese Minister of Defense because he announced a lot of Russian planes and weapons in 2018. The Chinese want him off the sanctions list first.
