Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian stressed on Wednesday that China will resolutely protect the rights and interests of national companies in the event of unilateral sanctions by the US.

When asked about the prospects for US sanctions against China for its stance on the Ukraine crisis, Zhao pointed out that "China opposes any form of unilateral US sanctions and will resolutely protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies and individuals."

The Chinese Spokesperson also underscored that Beijing also urges Washington not to harm China's legitimate rights and interests in any way, noting that sanctions have never been an effective way to solve problems.

It is noteworthy that the Chinese Embassy in the US has revealed that its main priority is to prevent the tense situation in Ukraine from getting out of control, in response to media reports that Moscow requested from Beijing military equipment since the start of the military operation.

This comes after The Washington Post and the Financial Times quoted US officials as saying that "Russia turned to China to obtain military equipment and aid after the invasion of Ukraine."