China firmly opposes EU's illicit unilateral sanctions: spokesman

China firmly opposes illicit unilateral sanctions and urges the EU side to correct its wrongdoing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a press briefing in Beijing on Wednesday.

Lin made the remarks in response to a question about the European Union's planned sanctions against companies from China, Turkey, India and other countries.

"China opposes illicit unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law or the authorization of the UN Security Council. We have lodged serious protests to the EU side on multiple occasions to urge the EU to correct the wrongdoing and withdraw the illicit unilateral sanctions. China will closely watch the developments and do what is necessary to firmly protect its legitimate rights and interests," he said.

China firmly opposes EU's illicit unilateral sanctions: spokesman

China firmly opposes EU's illicit unilateral sanctions: spokesman

China firmly opposes EU's illicit unilateral sanctions: spokesman

China firmly opposes EU's illicit unilateral sanctions: spokesman

China has recorded ten consecutive quarters of growth in imports and exports with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the data for the second quarter of this year from the General Administration of Customs GAC) showed on Tuesday.

China's trade with ASEAN reached 4.34 trillion yuan (about 640 billion U.S. dollars) in the first half of 2026, marking an 18.2-percent increase compared to the same period of last year, according to GAC.

"In the first half of this year, China's imports and exports with ASEAN stood at 4.34 trillion yuan, up 18.2 percent year on year on. Of this total, imports and exports in the second quarter accounted for 2.37 trillion yuan which represented a year-on-year growth of 20.2 percent and marking the 10th consecutive quarter of growth.," said Lyu Daliang, a spokesman for the customs bureau, at a press briefing.

"China and ASEAN have continuously strengthened infrastructure connectivity. In the first half of the year, China's imports and exports with ASEAN via the new western land-sea corridor grew by 18.2 percent, with railway and highway transport increasing by 24.7 percent and 17.5 percent, respectively," Lyu said.

Established in 1967, ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Timor-Leste.

China records ten consecutive quarters of trade growth with ASEAN