The US government on Wednesday added a dozen Chinese companies to its national security and foreign policy trade blacklists, citing in some cases their help developing the Chinese military’s quantum computing efforts.
The US Department of Commerce also said several entities and individuals from China and Pakistan were added for contributing to Pakistan’s nuclear activities or ballistic missile programme.
The news comes amid growing tensions between Beijing and Washington over the status of Taiwan and trade issues.
Firms from Pakistan, Japan and Singapore were also among the 27 new entities added to the list – but the move stirred an angry response in Beijing on Thursday, nonetheless.
Commerce Ministry spokesperson Shu Jueting said China strongly opposes US sanctions on Chinese companies and such sanctions are groundless.
She said that China would lodge solemn representations with the United States on the matter.
US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in a statement that the new listings will help prevent US technology from supporting the development of Chinese and Russian “military advancement and activities of non-proliferation concern like Pakistan’s unsafeguarded nuclear activities or ballistic missile programme”.
Links To Chinese Military
The companies include Hangzhou Zhongke Microelectronics, Hunan Goke Microelectronics, New H3C Semiconductor Technologies, Xi’an Aerospace Huaxun Technology and Yunchip Microelectronics, who were added for links to China’s military.
Three others – Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, QuantumCTek and Shanghai QuantumCTeck – were accused of “acquiring and attempting to acquire US-origin items in support of military applications”.
All eight were listed to prevent US technology being used to help China develop quantum computing applications for its military.
- Reuters with additional editing by George Russell
READ MORE:
Chinese AI Startup, Blacklisted by US, to File for Hong Kong IPO
Blacklisted China Telecom Moves to Raise Cash in Shanghai
