China Condemns New U.S. Sanctions on Its Companies as Economic Coercion
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, Chinese state media on Saturday fiercely condemned the United States for adding more than 40 Chinese entities to its “Entity List” under the “Prevention of Forced Labor” law, characterizing the action as economic coercion and pledging to safeguard its companies’ interests.
A spokesperson for China‘s Ministry of Commerce stated that the U.S. action lacks factual basis and accused Washington of using allegations of forced labor and human rights violations as a pretext to impose unilateral sanctions based on its domestic laws. The ministry asserted that these measures harm the legal rights of Chinese companies and disrupt global industrial and supply chains.
The spokesperson also criticized the timing of the sanctions, noting they were announced a day after Chinese and U.S. trade officials held talks that Beijing described as candid and constructive for maintaining stable bilateral economic relations. China reiterated its opposition to forced labor, rejected allegations of forced labor in the northwestern Xinjiang region, and urged the United States to stop politicizing the issue. Beijing affirmed it would take necessary measures to protect the interests of Chinese companies.
On Friday, the United States added 43 Chinese companies to its import blacklist, citing their alleged involvement with forced labor, including that of Uyghurs and other minority groups. These additions, announced under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), represent the first expansion of the entity list since the Trump administration and the most significant action of its kind since the law took effect in December 2021.
