China Cancels US Military Talks to Protest Sanctions

Chinese Navy Chief recalled from US, talks postponed

Anger over Friday’s imposition of US sanctions on a China military agency for buying Russian arms continues to grow, with China’s Defense Ministry announcing that they have recalled Navy Chief Shen Jinlong from the US, and indefinitely postponed planned talks that were supposed to happen next week.

The Defense Ministry added further countermeasures could be taken in the future, while Foreign Ministry officials say they’ve summoned the US Ambassador terry Branstad  to complain about the sanctions.

The US imposed sanctions to protest China buying air defense systems from Russia. The US has threatened such measures repeatedly, but has rarely enforced sanctions against other customers of Russia.

The State Department has defended the move, saying China is the only country to take delivery of S-400 missiles yet. They insist the sanctions are meant to punish Russia, not China.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.