Chinese foreign ministry on Wednesday warned that secondary sanctions by the U.S. targeting Chinese firms linked to North Korea would not help in resolving in North Korean issue, and urged Washington to withdraw them.

The U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday issued new designations against entities and individuals in China, Russia, Singapore, and Namibia for links to North Korea’s weapons programs, mineral trade and use of overseas labor.

“The U.S. action will not help the solution of the problem as well as the mutual trust and cooperation with China,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told media during a regular news