A worker walks at the Novatek's Offshore Superfacility Construction Cente, the world's first facility production of natural gas liquefaction trains on gravity-based structures in the village of Belokamenka in the Murmansk Region, Russia, Nov 29, 2021. (NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA / AFP)

BEIJING - China firmly opposes unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law, and will continue to conduct normal trade cooperation with Russia, including trade in oil and gas, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said that sanctions will not bring peace or security, but will only cause severe difficulties for the economies and people's livelihoods of relevant countries

Spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks at a daily press briefing following the US ban on Russian oil and other energy imports announced on Tuesday.

According to media reports, Britain on the same day said it will phase out imports of Russian oil by the end of the year, and the European Union has devised a proposal to free itself of its dependency on Russian fossil fuels before 2030.

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In response, Zhao said that sanctions will not bring peace or security, but will only cause severe difficulties for the economies and people's livelihoods of relevant countries.

They will result in a situation where multiple players lose, and will enhance division and confrontation, he said.

China and Russia maintain good cooperation in the energy sector, and will continue to conduct normal trade cooperation in the spirit of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, the spokesperson said.

When asked to comment on White House press secretary Jen Psaki's remarks that the United States has the means to "take steps" if China does not abide by the sanctions on Russia, Zhao said that China will take all necessary measures to resolutely defend the legitimate interests of Chinese companies and individuals.

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Sanctions are never a fundamental and effective way to solve problems, and China firmly opposes any form of unilateral sanctions or long-arm jurisdiction from the US side, he said.  

A family sit in the Kyiv subway, using it as a bomb shelter in Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb 25, 2022. (EMILIO MORENATTI / AP)

Humanitarian aid to Ukraine

Li also said that at the request of the Ukrainian side, the Red Cross Society of China will provide humanitarian aid supplies to the Ukrainian Red Cross Society.

The supplies worth 5 million yuan (about $791,000) include food and daily necessities.

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"The first batch of supplies was shipped from Beijing on Wednesday," said Zhao, adding that the rest will be delivered to the Ukrainian Red Cross Society as soon as possible by appropriate means.