US blacklists 9 companies linked to Chinese military, including Xiaomi, CNOOC & Comac

Washington/Beijing: The Chinese intentions of surpassing the United States on the international level has received one more severe jolt. On Thursday, the United States, Blacklisted 9 Chinese companies for their links with the Chinese military. At the same time, the United States also announced sanctions on a leading Oil sector company. In the ordinance, President Trump has said that the Chinese companies having links with the Chinese military are a threat to US national security.

Joe Biden will be taking over the reins of the United States in the next week. Analysts indicate that the intensity of the US attack on China will be reduced, to a certain extent, during the Biden tenure. Taking cognisance of this, the Trump administration has started sharpening the edge of the anti-China actions by the day. China is being targeted on issues like imports from China, investment of the Chinese companies and human rights violations.

On Thursday, the US defence and commerce department announced actions against the Chinese companies with orders issued one after the other. The defence department announced the blacklist of Chinese companies, linked to the Chinese military. Nine companies are featuring in the list named ‘Communist Chinese Military Companies’. The list includes Xiaomi, the 3rd largest smartphone manufacturing company, in the world. Other than this, action has been taken against the China National Aviation Holding Company and COMAC, leading companies from the Aerospace sector. It has been clarified that due to this action, these companies will not be able to transact any business whatsoever, with the US companies.

Xiaomi has reacted sharply to the US action. Besides, the company has denied any links with the Chinese military. Whereas, as per analysts, the action against China National Aviation Holding Company and COMAC has jolted the Chinese ambition to develop an indigenous passenger airliner. COMAC has recently developed a passenger airliner and has claimed to challenge the leading aviation companies, Boeing and Airbus.

Following the defence department, the commerce department also announced action against two Chinese companies. These include leading oil sector company CNOOC and Skyrizon. CNOOC has been charged with activities in the South China Sea. Whereas, in the statement, Shyrizon has been charged with helping the Chinese military in modernisation. Secretary of Commerce Wilber Ross warned that both these companies’ activities are a threat to the US national security.