China slams US for adding firms to export control list, vows action

BEIJING: China's Ministry of Commerce has strongly opposed the US decision to add multiple Chinese entities to its export control list over Russia-related issues, according to state media reports on Sunday.

The US on Friday added 105 Russian and Chinese firms to a trade restriction list over their alleged support of the Russian military.

The sanctions target individuals and companies both inside and outside of Russia "whose products and services enable Russia to sustain its war effort and evade sanctions," the US Treasury Department said in a statement.

The companies — 42 Chinese, 63 Russian and 18 from other countries — were targeted for reasons from sending US electronics to Russian military-related parties to producing thousands of Shahed-136 drones for Russia to use in its invasion of Ukraine.

US suppliers must get difficult-to-obtain licences to ship to companies on the "entity list", as it is called.

"The move is typical unilateral sanctions that disrupt international trade order and rules, hinder normal international economic and trade exchanges, and threatens the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains,"  the ministry said.

It further added that China would take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights of its companies.

The US has repeatedly warned China about its support for Russia's defence industry.