U.S. Unilateral Sanctions Disrupt Rule-Based International Order
According to a report by Bloomberg, hundreds of lawyers have come together to send a joint letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging the cessation of unilateral economic sanctions. The letter criticized the sanctions as a form of collective punishment inflicted on ordinary civilians and as a breach of international law.
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Editor's Note: He Weiwen is a senior fellow at the Center for China and Globalization (CCG). The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of CN.
According to a Bloomberg report, a substantial group of lawyers has recently sent a collective letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging him to stop implementing unilateral economic sanctions. These sanctions were described in the letter as collectively punishing ordinary citizens and violating international law.
The United States has long assumed the role of a global police officer, imposing unilateral political, economic, and financial sanctions on other countries, companies, financial institutions, and other entities for decades. This approach has led to severe complications and humanitarian crises in numerous nations.
Since the Cuban Revolution in 1959, the U.S. has maintained harsh sanctions on Cuba, beginning in 1960. These include a comprehensive blockade on economic, trade, financial, and travel aspects, as well as freezing Cuban assets within the American territories. The Cuban population, exceeding ten million people, has endured profound shortages in food, fuel, daily essentials, and medical supplies, an issue that has persisted for decades. Critically ill individuals have lacked access to vital medications. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020-2022, these sanctions hindered Cuba's access to necessary healthcare equipment, including respirators, tragically impacting many lives.
The UN General Assembly has passed 30 resolutions demanding an end to the U.S. sanctions on Cuba. The most recent resolution was on November 2, 2023, which was supported by 187 countries, with the U.S. and Israel opposing. These sanctions are seen as violations of international law and the UN Charter, significantly infringing upon the human rights to health and welfare of Cuban citizens.
The prolonged sanctions on Iran have similarly driven more than ten million Iranians into poverty, thus creating another significant humanitarian issue. These sanctions were reinstated following the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran Nuclear Agreement. Despite Iran complying with the agreement, which was also ratified by the UN Security Council, the Trump Administration withdrew from the pact on May 8, 2018, and subsequently imposed these sanctions on Iran.
Despite being a party to the original agreement, the U.S. seems disregarding of the UN resolution and global law, and has extended sanctions to entities like the Chinese Kunlun Bank for their lawful engagement in oil trades with Iran.
The unilateral sanctions imposed on Huawei demonstrate how the U.S. actions can be influenced by individual will, without concrete justification or basis in international law.
Moreover, after the onset of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the U.S. severed Russia's access to SWIFT, the global financial messaging service, without legal foundation. This not only disrupts ordinary Russian businesses and citizens but also targets Chinese firms and banks involved in routine dealings with Russia. The U.S. threatens to disconnect key Chinese banks from SWIFT under the unfounded claim of "supporting the Russian defense industry base," blatantly breaching international law that governs non-discriminatory, free trade and financial transactions.
By identifying China as a primary strategic threat, the White House argues that China might alter the 'rule-based' international order. However, the U.S. seems to interpret "rule-based" as aligning with its strategic interests rather than adhering to the UN Charter or international norms. In this light, the U.S. appears to be the most significant violator of international codes and a substantial threat to global economic stability and growth.
In conclusion, China remains committed to upholding the UN Charter and international laws, resolutely opposing any unilateral sanctions that breach such tenets. While aiming to sustain stable economic ties with the U.S., China firmly resists any unilateral sanctions, advocating for a principle where such sanctions will ultimately prove counterproductive.
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
According to a Bloomberg report, a substantial group of lawyers has recently sent a collective letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging him to stop implementing unilateral economic sanctions. These sanctions were described in the letter as collectively punishing ordinary citizens and violating international law.
The United States has long assumed the role of a global police officer, imposing unilateral political, economic, and financial sanctions on other countries, companies, financial institutions, and other entities for decades. This approach has led to severe complications and humanitarian crises in numerous nations.
Since the Cuban Revolution in 1959, the U.S. has maintained harsh sanctions on Cuba, beginning in 1960. These include a comprehensive blockade on economic, trade, financial, and travel aspects, as well as freezing Cuban assets within the American territories. The Cuban population, exceeding ten million people, has endured profound shortages in food, fuel, daily essentials, and medical supplies, an issue that has persisted for decades. Critically ill individuals have lacked access to vital medications. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020-2022, these sanctions hindered Cuba's access to necessary healthcare equipment, including respirators, tragically impacting many lives.
The UN General Assembly has passed 30 resolutions demanding an end to the U.S. sanctions on Cuba. The most recent resolution was on November 2, 2023, which was supported by 187 countries, with the U.S. and Israel opposing. These sanctions are seen as violations of international law and the UN Charter, significantly infringing upon the human rights to health and welfare of Cuban citizens.
The prolonged sanctions on Iran have similarly driven more than ten million Iranians into poverty, thus creating another significant humanitarian issue. These sanctions were reinstated following the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran Nuclear Agreement. Despite Iran complying with the agreement, which was also ratified by the UN Security Council, the Trump Administration withdrew from the pact on May 8, 2018, and subsequently imposed these sanctions on Iran.
Despite being a party to the original agreement, the U.S. seems disregarding of the UN resolution and global law, and has extended sanctions to entities like the Chinese Kunlun Bank for their lawful engagement in oil trades with Iran.
The unilateral sanctions imposed on Huawei demonstrate how the U.S. actions can be influenced by individual will, without concrete justification or basis in international law.
Moreover, after the onset of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the U.S. severed Russia's access to SWIFT, the global financial messaging service, without legal foundation. This not only disrupts ordinary Russian businesses and citizens but also targets Chinese firms and banks involved in routine dealings with Russia. The U.S. threatens to disconnect key Chinese banks from SWIFT under the unfounded claim of "supporting the Russian defense industry base," blatantly breaching international law that governs non-discriminatory, free trade and financial transactions.
By identifying China as a primary strategic threat, the White House argues that China might alter the 'rule-based' international order. However, the U.S. seems to interpret "rule-based" as aligning with its strategic interests rather than adhering to the UN Charter or international norms. In this light, the U.S. appears to be the most significant violator of international codes and a substantial threat to global economic stability and growth.
In conclusion, China remains committed to upholding the UN Charter and international laws, resolutely opposing any unilateral sanctions that breach such tenets. While aiming to sustain stable economic ties with the U.S., China firmly resists any unilateral sanctions, advocating for a principle where such sanctions will ultimately prove counterproductive.
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
