China to resolutely safeguard legitimate rights and interests of its nationals and businesses: spokesman

China will resolutely protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese nationals and businesses from improper extraterritorial application of foreign laws and measures, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Wednesday.

Lin Jian, the spokesman, made the statement at a press conference in Beijing in response to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's latest remarks on a ban issued by China's Ministry of Commerce on Saturday to prohibit any recognition, enforcement or compliance with U.S. sanctions imposed on five Chinese companies on the grounds of their alleged involvement in Iranian petroleum transactions.

Lin said the ban is a lawful measure to block improper extraterritorial application of U.S. laws and measures.

According to the Ministry of Commerce, the sanctions that the U.S. has imposed on these Chinese companies since 2025 improperly prohibit or restrict normal economic and trade activities between Chinese companies and third countries as well as their citizens, legal persons or other organizations, in violation of international law and basic norms of international relations.

"The competent Chinese authorities have clarified China's position on this issue. What I would like to stress is that the Chinese government has always opposed unilateral illicit sanctions that lack basis in international law or authorization of the UN Security Council," Lin said.

"The relevant measure is a concrete action to implement the Rules on Counteracting Unjustified Extraterritorial Application of Foreign Legislation and Other Measures in accordance with law," he noted.

"China will closely monitor the improper extraterritorial application of the relevant country's laws and measures and resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese nationals and businesses in accordance with law," said the spokesman.

China to resolutely safeguard legitimate rights and interests of its nationals and businesses: spokesman

Crowds of music fans have been praised for their unified response after a medical emergency unfolded during a music festival in central China's Hubei Province on Sunday night, with some 20,000 revelers quickly parting to create a pathway for medics to transport a collapsed man to a waiting ambulance.

The heartwarming moment occurred on the streets of Jingzhou City, where a large number of people had gathered for a performance, when one of the attendees reportedly took unwell and fainted.

When the alarm was raised that the man was in need of medical assistance, the attentive crowd allowed emergency responders to come through and perform immediate first aid treatment on site, before a stretcher was brought to transport the man to a waiting ambulance.

In a remarkable scene, as seen in footage filmed from above, the crowds coordinated along with police and emergency personnel to separate and create a clear gap -- which some later referred to as a "life channel" -- for the collapsed man to be speedily carried through.

The actions of the crowds were hailed by local people and emergency workers in enabling the man to be on his way to hospital in the space of just three minutes.

"The entire process was very quick. Everyone was in totally sync when making this pathway for the man to come through," said Ding Yi, a local community worker.

"I ran through a small channel and quickly led the medical personnel to this location. When they were carrying out first aid, the stretcher arrived, and then they moved the patient to the ambulance. The whole process took no more than three minutes," said Pei Zhihong, a police officer, as he explained where the incident unfolded.

According to local police, the man is now out of danger and recovering well.

Massive crowd makes way to allow medics to treat, transport patient at music festival