西方一些国家出于遏制中国的目的，肆意挥舞“制裁”大棒，粗暴干涉中国内政，但这种“单边制裁”即将遭到法律反制。全国人大常委会正审议《中华人民共和国反外国制裁法（草案）》，法律通过后，任何胆敢制裁中国的国家需为此付出沉重代价。

　　一段时间以来，某些西方国家出于政治操弄的需要和意识形态的偏见，利用涉疆涉港的各种借口对中国进行造谣污蔑和遏制打压，更公然违反国际法和国际关系基本准则，依据其本国法律对中国有关国家机关、组织和国家工作人员实施所谓“制裁”。中方对这种霸权主义行径予以严厉谴责，也多次宣布对有关国家的实体和个人实施相应反制措施。

　　以其人之道还治其人之身，这是“回敬”西方霸权的最好方式。今年全国“两会”期间，全国人大代表、全国政协委员和社会各界纷纷提出意见和建议，认为国家有必要制定一部专门的反外国制裁法，为我国依法反制外国歧视性措施提供有力的法治支撑和保障。有关建议得到采纳，十三届全国人大四次会议批准的人大常委会工作报告，在“今后一年的主要任务”中明确提出，围绕反制裁、反干涉、反制长臂管辖等，充实应对挑战、防范风险的法律“工具箱”。

　　这部法律的制订具有重要意义。首先，反制西方制裁有了明确的法律依据。中国人不惹事，但也不怕事，只有在遭到外国无理制裁时才作出反制。以往的反制手段及措施相对单一，相关法律通过后，可以拥有充分的法律授权，对外国的制裁进行对等的反制。有法有据，有理有节，可以产生足够的震慑力。

　　其次，展现了中国捍卫国家主权、尊严和国家发展利益的坚定决心。不难发现，“制裁”中国的那些国家，多是过去曾欺凌中国的西方列强，但现在的中国不是一八四○年鸦片战争的大清，也不是一九三一年日本可以随意对华发动战争的民国旧时代，中华人民共和国足够强大，中国人忍气吞声的时代一去不复返。数十年前中国在非常贫穷落后的情况下，尚且有决心、有能力保家卫国，更何况是在中国崛起的新时代？

　　港人坚定拥护反制裁法的出台，因为香港正是西方制裁的主要受害者。前年修例风波后，美国当局肆无忌惮地挥舞制裁大棒，包括行政长官在内的一些主要官员都遭到野蛮“制裁”，一些香港企业也成为打击的对象。可以说，港人对此深恶痛绝。特首林郑月娥昨日也表示坚定支持法律的通过。

　　反华势力对中国的反制裁一开始大惊小怪，因为在潜意识中，只有他们欺负别人，别人则不能反击。然而，习惯成自然，当霸权国家及强权政治一次又一次遭到中国依法反制裁后，终会适应国际新秩序，也只有让他们感到疼、成本大于得益时，才有可能停止制裁式挑衅。

　　2021-06-09

　　Giving certain Western countries a taste of their own medicine

　　Aiming at containing China, some Western countries are wantonly brandishing the big stick of "sanction" to brutally interfere in China's internal affairs. But such "unilateral sanctions" will soon be countered following the law. The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) is deliberating the draft Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law of the People's Republic of China. After the law is adopted, any country daring to impose any sanction on China will have to pay a heavy price.

　　For some time, certain Western countries, out of their need for political manipulation and of their ideological biases, have been making use of all sorts of pretexts, such as issues related to Xinjiang and Hong Kong, to fabricate rumours to smear China for the purpose of containment and suppression. They have even gone so far as to undisguisedly violate international laws and basic norms governing international relations by imposing so-called "sanctions" on some of China's state organs, organisations and state functionaries based on their own domestic laws. The Chinese side has sternly condemned such a hegemonic act and announced once and again counter measures against relevant agencies and individuals of the concerned countries.

　　The best way to give Western hegemony "tit-for-tat" is to give them a taste of their own medicine. During this year's "Two Annual Sessions" [of the NPC and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC)], NPC deputies and CPPCC members and personages from various social sectors had expressed their views and made their proposals one after another, that our country should specially legislate a law against foreign sanctions so as to provide powerful legal support and protection for our country to counter discriminatory measures taken by foreign countries. The suggestion was adopted. The Report on the Work of the Standing Committee of the NPC approved by the 4th Session of the 13th NPC, spelt it out clearly in [the section of] Our Main Tasks for the Coming Year that "We will upgrade our legal tool kit for meeting challenges and guarding against risks in order to oppose foreign sanctions, interference, and long-arm jurisdiction".

　　Legislation of such a law is of important significance. First of all, it provides an unambiguous legal ground against Western sanctions. The Chinese people do not stir up troubles, but we never flinch when trouble comes our way. We retaliate only when foreign countries impose unreasonable sanctions on us. So far our means and measures to counter foreign sanctions are relatively single. After the adoption of the law, there will be full legal authorisation to reciprocally retaliate against foreign sanctions. In this way, our retaliations will be on a legal ground, with good reason and with rational restraint, and as such will have a sufficient deterrent.

　　Secondly, this demonstrates China's firm determination to safeguard national sovereignty, dignity and development interests. It is not hard to verify that those countries imposing sanctions on China are Western powers which had bullied China in the past. But today's China is not the Qing Empire during the 1840 Opium War, nor is it in the old Republic era when Japan could wage a war at will against China in 1931. The People's Republic of China (PRC) is now strong enough, and gone forever is the era when the Chinese people had to swallow insult and humiliation silently. Even several decades ago when it was very poor and backward China already had the determination and capability to protect our homes and defend our country, let alone toady when it is on the rise in a New Era.

　　Hong Kong people firmly support the legislation of the Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law, because Hong Kong is exactly a major victim of Western sanctions.　　Following the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill Incident two years ago, the United States authorities recklessly brandish the big stick of sanction. Some principal officials of the SAR including Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor are "sanctioned" brutally, and some Hong Kong enterprises also fall prey to the U.S. act. It may be said that Hong Kong people harbour intense detest for this. Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor yesterday also expressed her firm support for the legislation of this law.

　　Anti-China forces have made a big fuss over China's anti-sanction moves from the outset. For, in their sub-consciousness, only they themselves can bully others and the latter must never strike back. Nevertheless, habit is second nature. Hegemonic states and power politics will eventually have to become adaptive to a new international order after they are again and again retaliated by China's lawful anti-sanction moves. Only when they are made to fell hurt and realise that the cost outweighs the benefit, can they possibly stop making provocations with sanctions.

09 June 2021