China accuses US of “abusing export control”
Beijing:
Beijing on Saturday accused the United States of “aggression” after Washington announced export controls on dozens of Chinese companies in connection with alleged links with the Chinese military.
The announcement – in the final weeks of President Donald Trump’s term – comes after relations between Washington and Beijing worsened under his administration, which saw the US start a trade war with China and expanded its list of sanctioned entities to several hundred. Chinese companies and subsidiaries.
China’s trade minister said on Saturday that he “strongly opposes” the move, which will affect the country’s largest chip maker, SMIC, and vowed to “take the necessary steps” to protect the rights of Chinese companies.
The ministry accused the United States of “abusing export controls and other measures to suppress foreign entities” and called on Washington to “stop unilateralism and aggression.”
In a statement, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said the appointments, which restrict the ability of U.S. companies to do business with firms, are linked to a number of allegations, including human rights abuses, Chinese military activities, especially in The South China Sea, as well as the theft of US technology.
The new US restrictions target 77 companies and subsidiaries, including 59 in mainland China, including SMIC, as well as the Hong Kong unit and SMIC entities in more than half a dozen other countries, from Bulgaria to France and Pakistan. .
“China’s corrupt and aggressive behavior, both inside and outside its borders, harms US national security interests, undermines the sovereignty of our allies and partners, and violates human rights and the dignity of ethnic and religious minority groups,” he said. Ross.
“Trade will work to ensure that American technology – developed and produced in accordance with open and free market principles – is not used for malicious or abusive purposes.”
SMIC has received billions of dollars in support from Beijing and is at the heart of its efforts to improve the country’s technological self-sufficiency.
The name means that US companies must apply for a license before exporting to SMIC and specifically targets the Chinese company’s ability to purchase materials for the production of chips of 10 nanometers or smaller, the best class in the industry.
(This story was not edited by NDTV staff and is automatically generated from a syndicated stream.)