China and India have criticized the "hellish sanctions" bill passed by the US Congress

China described the initiative as lacking any basis in international law and emphasized that its cooperation should not be subject to coercion by third parties.

Indian authorities warned the US that such harsh measures could severely damage their bilateral relations.

•  The Chinese Foreign Ministry responded to the passage of a new bill by U.S. lawmakers that allows for the imposition of sanctions on countries purchasing Russian petroleum products.

"China opposes extraterritorial jurisdiction and unilateral sanctions that lack a basis in international law or a mandate from the UN Security Council," spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated on Thursday.

He also noted that Beijing engages in normal economic and trade cooperation with other countries "on the basis of equality and mutual benefit." "Such cooperation is not directed against any third party and must be free from interference or coercion by third parties," he emphasized.

•   India has warned that the new US measure aimed at imposing sanctions on buyers of Russian oil could strain relations between New Delhi and Washington and disrupt global energy markets.

India's Ministry of External Affairs stated that it had taken note of the bill's passage. New Delhi had discussed the matter with various US counterparts over the past few months and had "very clearly" outlined the potential impact on bilateral relations and the international energy market.