CNN
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The US Department of Commerce bars six Chinese companies linked to the Chinese military’s aerospace programs from obtaining US technology without government authorization.
The move comes after a chinese ball suspected of carrying out surveillance flew over the United States last week, increasing political tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
US fighter jets shot down the balloon, which US officials say is part of a extensive monitoring program led by the Chinese army.
The six companies support the Chinese government’s “modernization efforts, particularly those related to aerospace programs, including airships and balloons and related materials and components, which are used by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) for the intelligence and reconnaissance,” the Commerce Department’s Office of Industry and Security said in a statement.
The six companies are: Beijing Nanjiang Aerospace Technology; China Electronics Technology Group Corporation 48th Research Institute; Dongguan Lingkong remote sensing technology; Eagles Men Aviation Science and Technology Group; Guangzhou Tian-Hai-Xiang Aviation Technology; and Shanxi Eagles Men’s Aviation Science and Technology Group.
The companies’ inclusion on the Commerce Department’s “Entity List” sends “a clear message to businesses, governments and other stakeholders around the world that the entities on the list pose a threat to national security,” says the press release.
“The Commerce Department will not hesitate to continue to use the Entity List and our other regulatory and enforcement tools to protect the national security and sovereignty of the United States,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce Don Graves, in the statement.
“The Entity List is a powerful tool for identifying and blocking actors who seek to use their access to global markets to harm and threaten US national security.”
“China’s use of high-altitude balloons violates our sovereignty and threatens the national security of the United States,” said Commerce Under Secretary for Industry and Security Alan Estevez.
“Today’s action makes it clear that entities that seek to harm the national security and sovereignty of the United States will be cut off from access to American technologies.”
CNN has contacted the companies involved and the Chinese government for comment.