China objected strongly Thursday to sanctions imposed by the United States this month on eight Chinese companies that the US government says were helping Iran with its missile programs, calling them "irresponsible."

"The sanctions are extremely irresponsible and unproven and must be lifted," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan at a regularly scheduled press conference.

China opposes the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their transport vehicles, Kong said. The Chinese government has set up intact law systems on prevention of WMD proliferation and does not allow any Chinese organization or individual to involve in it. Any violation of laws will be brought to justice, he said.

The US government has posed sanctions on Chinese companies several times, which Kong said does not help cooperation in WMD proliferation. "The Chinese government is very unsatisfied and strongly opposes them and asks the US side to lift them immediately," said the spokesman.

Source: Xinhua