China now relies less on large purchases from Russia than it has in the past, but Chinese defence industries often expertise from Russia and ex-Soviet states to plug knowledge gaps

China’s first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning training ship, is based on a Soviet Kuznetsov-class hull but Beijing has since developed its own, home-grown carrier. The Type 001A is currently undergoing trials.

The measures come as the Trump administration pursues a variety of strategies to clamp down on China and faces growing pressure to respond strongly to US intelligence agency reports that Russia continues to meddle in US politics.

Members of Congress, including many of Mr Trump’s fellow Republicans, who passed the sanctions bill nearly unanimously, have repeatedly called on the administration to take a harder line against Moscow.