According to the Nanda Morning Post report dated July 30th, the United States announced on Wednesday sanctions against a number of Chinese mainland and Hong Kong shipping companies, accusing these companies of operating ships that were transporting Iranian oil to China without any basis.
The United States State Department stated that eight companies have been listed on the sanctions list. The reason for this is that the ships operated by these companies belong to the “shadow fleet” established by Iran in order to circumvent sanctions. These ships are responsible for transporting Iranian crude oil and petrochemical products to China and the UAE.
Of the eight vessels identified by the U.S. Treasury, six were explicitly accused of transporting Iranian crude oil to China. Some of these vessels were involved in transporting millions of barrels of crude oil in 2026.
These sanctions will freeze all assets of the related companies within the United States jurisdiction, and in principle, prohibit US individuals and businesses from conducting transactions with these companies.
If foreign financial institutions or other companies continue to carry out certain transactions with these sanctioned companies, they may also face the risk of being sanctioned by the United States.
U.S. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said: “The sanctions announced today are aimed at supporting the U.S. Navy in implementing blockades of Iranian ports and coastlines.”
According to information from the U.S. Treasury Department, among the sanctioned ship management companies, one is headquartered in mainland China, and five are located in or partially located in Hong Kong, China.
Bloomberg noted that the Trump administration has been inconsistent in its sanctions policies against Iran. Initially, exemptions were granted to oil buyers in an effort to alleviate the disruptions in crude oil supplies caused by Middle Eastern conflicts. Later, the sanctions were intensified, with the goal of forcing Iranian authorities back into negotiations.
In mid-May this year, the United States also announced similar measures. At that time, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman stated that China firmly opposes illegal unilateral sanctions without any basis in international law and without authorization from the United Nations Security Council. We have always required Chinese enterprises to conduct their business in accordance with laws and regulations, and we will firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of domestic enterprises.
He said, “Regarding the situation in Iran, China has repeatedly stated its solemn position. The top priority is to fully avoid the restart of hostilities, rather than using war to maliciously associate and smear other countries.”
Facing the continuous unilateral sanctions imposed by the US, China has been taking countermeasures. In early May, China issued a ban to prevent the US from imposing sanctions on five Chinese oil refineries accused of purchasing Iranian oil. The ban states that "no recognition, execution, or compliance with US sanctions measures shall be allowed."
