China has unveiled a sweeping foreign relations law that gives it the power to take “countermeasures” against actions it deems a threat
Post Date – 11:45 PM, Thursday – 29 June 23
Hongkong: China has unveiled a sweeping foreign relations law giving it the power to take “countermeasures” against behavior it deems a threat, according to media reports, the latest move by Beijing to bolster its position amid tensions with the West.
The law, which takes effect on July 1, comes as China’s authoritarian government pushes back against U.S. efforts to suppress its development, after the U.S. imposed export controls on some high-tech products and worked to reduce reliance on Chinese suppliers in sensitive areas. According to CNN.
The two countries have entered a period of deep suspicion and tension, marking a low point in relations, despite U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s visit to Beijing earlier this month to stabilize ties.
The new law emphasizes that China has the right to take corresponding countermeasures and restrictive measures against acts that violate international laws and norms and endanger China’s sovereignty, security and development interests. The first foreign policy legislation of this magnitude in China comes as efforts by Xi Jinping, China’s most powerful leader in decades, to expand China’s power and influence on the world stage coincide with U.S. and other concerns about Beijing’s ambitions Amid conflict. And an increasingly assertive foreign policy
. The legislation was approved by China’s rubber-stamp parliament, the top decision-making body, on Wednesday. According to CNN, Chinese President Zhao Leji praised the law as important for maintaining national security and supporting national rejuvenation, and in line with Xi Jinping’s vision of a strong, modern China.
The Global Times, a Chinese state-run tabloid, said the release comes at a time when diplomatic relations are facing new challenges, especially as China faces frequent external interference in China’s internal affairs through unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction under Western hegemony.
