China opposes US secondary sanctions threat against Iran's trading partners

China reiterated on Tuesday that it firmly opposes illegal, unilateral sanctions lacking any basis in international law and unauthorized by the United Nations Security Council, following reports saying that the United States has threatened to impose secondary sanctions on countries trading with Iran.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a regular news briefing that China will take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard its own rights and interests.

Lin stressed that economic warfare and maximum pressure will not help resolve the issue, but will only further escalate tensions, create spillover risks, disrupt the global economic and financial order, and harm the legitimate rights and interests of other countries.

The top priority now is to ease the tensions and return to the track of dialogue and negotiation as soon as possible, he added.