Beijing
Capital of China; seat of the Communist Party and State Council that issued Decree No. 835 in response to US sanctions on Hengli.
Last refreshed: 28 April 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Why did Beijing issue Decree No. 835 eleven days before the Hengli sanctions rather than after?
Timeline for Beijing
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Iran Conflict 2026- What is China's Decree 835 and why was it issued?
- Decree No. 835 was issued by China's State Council on 13 April 2026, creating a state-level Malicious Entity List with asset-freeze, entry-ban, and investment-restriction powers. It was issued 11 days before the US sanctioned Hengli Petrochemical, suggesting pre-emptive preparation rather than direct retaliation.Source: Lowdown
- Why hasn't China retaliated against US sanctions on Chinese companies?
- Beijing has held Decree No. 835 in reserve as an unactivated retaliatory tool. The State Council issued the decree before the Hengli designation, signalling awareness of the risk, but calibrated its public response to embassy-level protest to avoid direct US-China escalation.Source: Lowdown
- How is China responding to US Iran war sanctions?
- China has protested the OFAC designation of Hengli Petrochemical as 'illegal' through its Washington embassy, issued Decree No. 835 as a reserve retaliatory instrument, but has not activated counter-sanctions or cut off Iranian oil purchases.Source: Lowdown
Background
Beijing is the capital of the People's Republic of China and the political centre of Communist Party authority, home to the State Council (China's cabinet) and all central government ministries.
In April 2026, Beijing's response to US sanctions against Hengli Petrochemical was calibrated and deliberately low-level: the Chinese embassy in Washington called the OFAC designation 'illegal', but the State Council issued no specific counter-instruments . Decree No. 835, issued on 13 April 2026 eleven days before the Hengli designation, created a Malicious Entity List held in reserve .
