Sanctions on Russia-related trade unwarranted, high- and heavy-handed

It is only natural that those countries whose targeted entities have been conducting normal business with Russia according to international law should vent their spleen at the US' long-arm jurisdiction, as it impedes normal international economic and trade exchanges, and harms the stability of the global industry and supply chains.

The United States Treasury Department announced sweeping sanctions on hundreds of entities in Russia, Europe, Asia and the Middle East on Friday, accusing them of providing products and services that enable Russia "to sustain its war effort and evade sanctions". Among them are some companies and individuals from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, with the US Department of State saying it was concerned by "the magnitude of dual-use goods" being exported from China to Russia.

The move bars the sanctioned entities that are mainly supplying machine tools and components to Russian companies from trading with US companies without gaining a special license that is practically unobtainable.