US imposes sanctions on six Chinese companies 'linked to military'
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The Biden administration imposes new sanctions on China, targeting several companies for supporting Beijing's military modernization efforts.
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US imposes sanctions on six Chinese companies linked to military (FBI)
The US Commerce Department said on Friday it added to an export blacklist five Chinese firms and one research institute linked to Beijing's aerospace programs including airships and balloons.
The six entities were supporting "China's military modernization efforts, specifically the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) aerospace programs including airships and balloons," the Commerce Department claimed.
The companies include Dongguan Lingkong Remote Sensing Technology Co., Beijing Nanjiang Aerospace Technology Co, and China Electronics Technology Group Corporation 48th Research Institute, AFP reported.
The other three are Guangzhou Tian-Hai-Xiang Aviation Technology Co., Eagles Men Aviation Science and Technology Group Co., and Shanxi Eagles Men Aviation Science and Technology Group Co.
This step comes a day after the US Congress condemned China’s alleged use of what the US described as a "spy balloon" that flew over North America last weekend.
While China said it was a “weather balloon" and expressed regret for the balloon's accidental breach of the US airspace, the Pentagon decried China's "unacceptable" violation of US airspace.
Last week, a US fighter jet brought down the Chinese balloon in the US territorial waters off the coast of South Carolina, and President Joe Biden congratulated the pilots for the operation. The Pentagon first said the balloon poses no threat, and China insisted it was a "civilian airship used for research, mainly meteorological purposes."
However, the incident prompted US State Secretary Antony Blinken to postpone his much-anticipated trip to Beijing.
The companies added to the so-called Entity List are banned from acquiring US items without government authorization.
"Today's action makes clear that entities that seek to harm US national security and sovereignty will be cut off from accessing US technologies," Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Alan Estevez in a statement on Friday.
A document by The Commerce Department claimed that China's military is employing high-altitude balloons "for intelligence and reconnaissance activities," adding that this goes against US national security and foreign policy interests.
