China Defiant on Iran Oil Purchases

"...The Chinese government has indicated it has no plans to change its position on oil purchases from Iran, a day after the United States left Beijing off a list of economies that are exempt from U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil imports. 
Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin Tuesday rejected a question about whether China will reduce its oil imports from Iran and said these purchases are necessary.
China needs to import crude oil from Iran, Liu said, because of its economic development, describing it as “a completely legal” matter. China's purchase channels are normal, open and transparent and do not violate United Nations resolutions or harm the interests of any other party, he added.
Beijing's defiant tone on the matter follows U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's announcement on Monday of a list of seven more economies exempt from new American sanctions targeting Iran's oil trade.
The countries on the list have proven they had significantly reduced the amount of oil they buy from Iran, said Clinton. ..."