Xinhua Times Commentary: Indiscriminate use of "long-arm jurisdiction" makes the world miserable

　　Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, February 3rd.

　　Xinhua News Agency reporter Fan Yu

　　The "long-arm jurisdiction" of the United States has been around for a long time, and its means are constantly being refurbished, but in essence it has always been a tool to maintain US hegemony.

The big stick of sanctions is being waved more and more fiercely, and the "arm" is getting longer and longer. This kind of outrageous judicial practice of "extraterritorial jurisdiction" over entities and individuals in other countries has caused the world to suffer greatly.

　　"Long-arm jurisdiction" was originally used to deal with interstate jurisdiction issues in the United States, and later gradually evolved into a major weapon in the American bullying toolbox.

The United States has continuously strengthened its legislation in an attempt to cloak "long-arm jurisdiction" as "legal". Not only are there many laws related to "long-arm jurisdiction", but the threshold of application has been continuously lowered to expand its discretion.

At the same time, the United States has also established a "long-arm jurisdiction" enforcement system with multi-departmental division of labor and cooperation.

The U.S. State Department, Treasury Department, Commerce Department and other departments perform their duties and cooperate with each other, and are empowered to freeze assets, draw up lists of sanctioned individuals and entities, review and issue licenses and other law enforcement powers.

In addition, the U.S. government provides support for the enforcement of economic sanctions by controlling the two major cross-border fund payment and clearing systems, SWIFT and CHIPS.

　　According to the report of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, as of fiscal year 2021, the U.S. has imposed more than 9,400 sanctions in total.

The sheer number and variety of patterns are astonishing.

Ali Raidi, a researcher at the French Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies, pointed out sharply in the book "The Hidden War" that the United States uses "long-arm jurisdiction" to put pressure on any country, whether it is an ally or an enemy country, it is completely "hands-on". cover the sky".

　　The United States has abused its "long-arm jurisdiction" to impact the multilateral international order.

The United States frequently implements unilateral sanctions outside the framework of the United Nations. In 2021 alone, the U.S. Department of Treasury, Department of Commerce and other departments have imposed various sanctions against more than 2,000 entities.

As a result, the sanctions function of the Security Council has been impacted, seriously affecting its normal operation in maintaining international peace and security.

Regardless of its "301" measures have been ruled by the World Trade Organization Dispute Settlement Body as a violation of international law, the United States continues to launch various unilateral "301 investigations" on imports from China and other countries, and maintains the existing "301" Tariff measures have undermined the multilateral trading system's tariff concessions achieved after many rounds of difficult negotiations, blatantly trampled on the purpose and spirit of the multilateral trading system, and damaged the cornerstone of the multilateral trading system's operation.

　　The US's indiscriminate use of "long-arm jurisdiction" poses a serious threat to the economic sovereignty of other countries.

So far, the US "long-arm jurisdiction" has involved China, Russia, Iran, Syria, North Korea, Cuba and many other countries.

Even during the global spread of the new crown epidemic, the U.S. government still stubbornly insisted on imposing unilateral sanctions on Iran, Syria and other countries, making it difficult for the sanctioned countries to obtain medical supplies needed to fight the epidemic in a timely manner.

The United States does not even let its allies go. Many companies in France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan and other countries have been reduced to their "long-arm jurisdiction". The stories of victims such as Deutsche Bank of Germany and Alstom of France Widely circulated in the global industry.

The French "Les Echos" pointed out that "long-arm jurisdiction" has become a weapon in the US economic war.

　　The United States has abused its "long-arm jurisdiction" to interfere with the international trade order, disrupt the normal supply chain of global trade, and harm the interests of companies in other countries.

As long as there is a so-called "minimum connection" between the physical behavior and the United States, the "long arm" may reach at any time.

As the "long arm" of the United States is stretched wantonly, European companies such as Germany, France, and Italy have been imposed huge fines or suffered fatal blows.

In order to hunt down competing companies, the United States has increased its "long-arm jurisdiction" layer by layer, expanding from the United States to the global scope, extending from American products to products produced with American technology and equipment.

Such rampant interference in international commercial transactions and competition completely deviates from its long-standing self-proclaimed liberal market economic philosophy.

　　The United States' excessive use of "long-arm jurisdiction" is counterattacking itself.

In order to counteract the "long arm" of the United States, some countries have launched counterattacks against the United States on multilateral occasions while improving their own laws.

The European Union passed the "Blocking Act" in 1996 to block the effects of the US "long-arm jurisdiction" measures in the European Union in the form of legislation.

In addition, the EU has also put forward proposals and initiated initiatives in the United Nations General Assembly, the Security Council, the World Trade Organization and other international institutions, calling on the international community to pay attention to the dangers of the US "long-arm jurisdiction".

The United States' addiction to sanctions and bullying nature have aroused growing dissatisfaction in the international community. The willful and reckless actions of the United States' "long-arm jurisdiction" will eventually harm others and itself.

(Xinhuanet)