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The US Commerce Department announced Friday that it has placed six Chinese companies on a blacklist for aiding Beijing’s attempts to modernize its armed forces, notably in relation to aerospace projects like airships and balloons.
The action was taken a day after US legislators unanimously blasted China’s use of a rumored surveillance balloon that floated over North America last week.
Prior to the US military shooting the balloon down off the nation’s east coast on Saturday, the balloon’s days-long flyby from Alaska to South Carolina attracted the attention of ordinary Americans and authorities.
Companies included to the so-called Entity List are prohibited from acquiring US products and technologies without government approval.
In a statement released on Friday, Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Alan Estevez said, “The (People’s Republic of China’s) use of high-altitude balloons breaches our sovereignty and harms US national security.”
He went on to say that “today’s move makes clear that companies that aim to undermine US national security and sovereignty will be barred from using US technologies.”
Among the six businesses are Beijing Nanjiang Aerospace Technology Co., Dongguan Lingkong Remote Sensing Technology Co., and China Electronics Technology Group Corporation 48th Research Institute.
Guangzhou Tian-Hai-Xiang Aviation Technology Co., Shanxi Eagles Men Aviation Science and Technology Group Co., and Eagles Men Aviation Science and Technology Group Co. are the other two.
The Commerce Department claimed in a memo that China’s military was using high-altitude balloons “for espionage and reconnaissance missions,” which was against US national security and foreign policy objectives.
China maintains that the balloon was a “airship utilized for study, primarily meteorological objectives,” by civilians.
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army is believed to be in control of the balloon, according to a State Department official, and it is a part of a fleet that China has sent over more than 40 nations on five continents to gather intelligence.
“Export Enforcement will vigilantly monitor and prevent shipments to the listed parties, as well as investigate any attempts to circumvent these restrictions,” he said.
