US taking wrong approach

As Thursday marked the deadline set by the United States for other countries to stop importing oil from Iran, some are waiting to see whether Washington will impose sanctions on Chinese companies still forging oil deals with Iran.

Washington has "exempted" some 18 economies from its Iranian oil embargo, leaving China the only big country without such a "blessing" from the US.

Beijing reiterated again last week that its oil imports are based on its economic development needs, which neither violate relevant UN Security Council resolutions, nor undermine the interests of a third party or the international community.