Beijing has refused to comply with U.S. sanctions imposed on five Chinese refineries accused of purchasing Iranian oil. The Chinese government described its stance as defensive and justified, according to the state-run English-language outlet China Daily. The report said that China issued an injunction to block Washington’s sanctions, which include measures against Hengli Petrochemical Refinery and four other facilities.

Beijing argued that the U.S. action violates international law, as it lacks authorization from the United Nations. In an article, China Daily writer Li Yang stated that Washington’s sanctions attempt to extend U.S. jurisdiction over bilateral trade between two sovereign nations. He further noted that the United States has long used the dominance of the dollar to expand the reach of its sanctions through so-called secondary sanctions that penalize entities dealing with blacklisted parties.

Li emphasized that China has drawn a clear line, declaring that Chinese companies will not comply with what it considers illegal U.S. restrictions.