The United States has blacklisted six Chinese entities it said were linked to Beijing’s aerospace programs as part of its retaliation over an alleged Chinese spy balloon that crossed US airspace.
The economic sanctions announced Friday followed a pledge by the Biden administration to consider broader efforts to address Chinese surveillance activities and make it more difficult for five companies and a research institute to obtain US technology exports.
The move is likely to escalate a diplomatic spat between the US and China that was triggered by the downing off the Carolina coast late last week. US-China said the balloon was equipped to detect and collect intelligence signals, but Beijing says it was a weathered vehicle that flew in the right direction.
The incident prompted Secretary of State Antony Blinken to abruptly cancel a high-stakes trip to Beijing aimed at reducing tensions.
The US Bureau of Industry and Security said the six entities were being “targeted for their support of China’s military modernization efforts, particularly the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) aerospace programs, including airships and balloons.”
It said, “The PLA is using High Altitude Balloons (HABs) for intelligence and reconnaissance activities.”
Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves said on Twitter that his department would not hesitate to continue using such sanctions and other regulatory and enforcement tools “to protect US national security and sovereignty.”
The six entities are Beijing Nanjiang Aerospace Technology Company, China Electronics Technology Group Corporation 48th Research Institute, Dongguan Lingkong Remote Sensing Technology Company, Eagles Men Aviation Science and Technology Group Company, Guangzhou Tian-hai-jiang Aviation Technology Company, and Shanxi Eagles Main Aviation Science and Technology Group Co.
The research institute did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The other five entities could not be reached.
On Friday, a US military fighter jet shot down an unidentified object as it took off from the far north coast of Alaska on orders from President Joe Biden. The object was shot down because it was reportedly a threat to the safety of civilian flights, rather than out of any knowledge that it was engaged in surveillance.
But the twin incidents in such close succession reflect growing concerns about China’s surveillance program and public pressure on Biden to take a tough stand against it.