TAIPEI, Taiwan (AFP) — China criticized new sanctions imposed by the United States on companies it suspects are involved in training Chinese military pilots and supporting weapons production.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin urged Washington to stop “misusing” export control measures against Chinese companies.
“The United States has repeatedly expanded the concept of national security, exploited state power, oppressed Chinese companies unjustifiably, and brazenly influenced the international economic system and trade rules,” Wang said at a daily briefing in Beijing. . of dishonest hysteria.”
Wang added that China “demands that the United States immediately correct its wrongful practices of politicizing, instrumentalizing, and weaponizing economic, commercial, and scientific technology issues under the pretext of human rights or military-related issues.” ”
On Monday, the US government placed 43 “entities” on the export control list due to national security and foreign policy concerns. The list includes Chinese and foreign companies.
Among the listed entities are Frontier Services Group Ltd., a security and aviation company formerly led by Blackwater founder Eric Prince, and South Africa’s Test Flying Academy, a retired Briton to train Chinese pilots. A flight school under scrutiny by British authorities for recruiting military pilots. .
These companies are prohibited from receiving exports from the US for activities deemed against US national interests.
Additional companies were sanctioned for their alleged involvement in helping China develop hypersonic weapons and modernize its military, the Commerce Department said.
Two companies, Beijing Ryanwende Science and Technology Co., Ltd. and Xinjiang Qihua Hechang Biological Science and Technology Co., Ltd., were added to the list for allegedly supplying goods that the Chinese government oversees Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities. Help was provided. Over the past three years, the United States has imposed sanctions and import restrictions on companies believed to be aiding Beijing’s crackdown on ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang region.
While the two countries are engaged in disputes over national security and human rights, they are also trying to maintain open lines of communication to prevent accidental conflicts.
US Secretary of State Anthony BlInken is expected to visit Beijing later this week, a visit that was previously postponed due to the alleged incident of a Chinese spy balloon crossing US territory in February.
