China Opposes Iran Sanctions Sought by US - Andrew Jacobs, New York Times.

China Opposes Iran Sanctions Sought by US - Andrew Jacobs, New York Times.

China will not support increased sanctions on Iran as a way to curb its nuclear program, a government spokeswoman said Thursday. Although China has generally opposed the use of sanctions, the announcement is sure to complicate President Obama’s efforts to impose tougher penalties on Iran, should international talks over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, scheduled for Oct. 1, fail to make headway. “We always believe that sanctions and pressure are not the way out,” said Jiang Yu, a foreign ministry spokeswoman, during a news conference. “At present, it is not conducive to diplomatic efforts.” On Wednesday, the White House savored success after Russia, a longtime opponent of economic sanctions, said it would consider tough new sanctions against Iran. As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, China has veto power over any decision by the body to impose sanctions.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/25/world/asia/25beijing.html?_r=1&ref=world