As part of the trade war between the United States and China, the administration of US President Joe Biden intends to replenish the blacklist of Chinese companies that have come under the sanctions by adding ten new companies. The main pretext is human rights violations in some regions of the PRC.
The US Department of Commerce’s blacklisting of commercial companies and other entities is part of the Biden administration’s measures to “hold China to account” for human rights abuses – alleged forced labor and the widespread installation of smart CCTV systems in Xinjiang, China’s Uyghur minority.
China denies all accusations, explaining its actions by the fight against separatists and extremists responsible for inciting hatred between the Uighurs and the Han people (actually the Chinese).
According to one of the sources, they intend to add not even ten; but 14 companies and organizations to the black list. The names of companies and structures are still unknown. We expect that on Friday they intend to impose sanctions on “defendants” from other countries.
Gizchina News of the week
The US will add ten new Chinese companies to the blacklist
Usually, blacklisted businesses and organizations need to obtain licenses from the Department of Commerce; to purchase any goods in the United States; and each time they go through rigorous checks to obtain permits.
Last month, the Commerce Department announced it was adding five companies to the blacklist in response to the crackdown in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. In particular, Hoshine Silicon Industry Co, which produces solar panels, fell under the sanctions; which has no access to raw materials, software and technologies.
This is not the first time such restrictions took place. Back under President Trump’s administration in 2019; some of China’s leading artificial intelligence startups were in the blacklis for allegedly participating in the crackdown on Chinese minorities.
Then the Department of Commerce listed 20 law enforcement agencies and eight companies, including the well-known Hikvision; which produces video surveillance equipment; as well as leaders in the facial recognition technology market – SenseTime Group Ltd and Megvii Technology Ltd.
In addition, “The Chinese side will take all necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies and rejects U.S. attempts to interfere in China’s internal affairs,” said foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin on Friday.
Last month, the Commerce Department said it was adding the five Chinese entities “for accepting or utilizing forced labor in the implementation of the People’s Republic of China’s campaign of repression against Muslim minority groups in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.”
