Bloomberg) — China has passed a sweeping foreign policy law that bolts together a slew of existing tools to counter Western powers, and extends President Xi Jinping’s combative stance on asserting Beijing on the world stage.
Enacted with the stated intention of safeguarding China’s national security and development interests, the Law on Foreign Relations stops short of creating new mechanisms for responding to rising geopolitical challenges, such as US-led export controls on advanced technology.
Instead, the umbrella legislation gives Beijing’s existing toolkit more weight by embracing it in a legal document alongside two of Xi’s signature foreign policy initiatives. Both the Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative are baked into the law, approved by the standing committee of the National People’s Congress on Wednesday.
The US has singled out a range of Chinese companies and officials with sanctions, accusing them of involvement in human rights abuses that China denies. Last October, the Biden administration also tightened restrictions on US microchip exports to China — controls the Biden administration is now considering strengthening further.
China is refusing to resume high-level communication with American armed forces until Washington lifts sanctions on Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu.
While the law is directed at government agencies, it states the conduct of foreign relations falls under the leadership of the Communist Party. Xi has enhanced the party’s grip on government bodies in recent years as he consolidates power in the world’s second largest economy.
