China has linked its imposition of tough new supply chains to the war in Iran and a dispute over ports in Panama and warned they are “only the start”, raising tensions ahead of a summit next month between leader Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump.
The new restrictions, announced this month, are designed to protect China’s supply chains against disruptions and foreign sanctions. They dramatically broaden the definition of what constitutes interference in the country’s commercial affairs and include harsh punishments for violators, such as exit bans.
“The scope of these regulations goes beyond trade and economic matters,” said Yuyuan Tantian, a social media account run by the Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece China Media Group. It added that the measures were only a “starting point”.