The United States has faced strong backlash from China after adding several Chinese entities to its export control list, which now includes a total of 105 firms. This move is seen as a strategic attempt to further curtail Russia’s access to advanced U.S. technology, particularly for its military capabilities.
China’s Ministry of Commerce issued a statement through Xinhua, labeling the U.S. action as “a typical act of unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction.” The statement further criticizes the move for “undermining the international trade order and rules” and disrupting the “security and stability of global industrial and supply chains.”
The U.S. announced on Friday that it is tightening export controls to “further restrict the supply of both U.S.-origin and ‘U.S. branded’ items to Russia and Belarus in response to the Kremlin’s illegal war on Ukraine.” This expanded list now encompasses 123 entities, including 42 from China, 63 from Russia, and 14 from Turkey, Iran, and Cyprus.
Alan Estevez, Undersecretary of Commerce for Industry and Security, emphasized the U.S.’s commitment to combatting Russia’s access to advanced technology. He stated, “We will continue our multilateral approach to attack this problem from all sides and use every tool in our arsenal to prevent Russia from gaining access to the advanced U.S. technology needed for its weapons.”
The U.S. also expanded its efforts to target shell companies by adding four “high-diversion risk addresses” in Hong Kong and Turkey to the Entity List. Transactions conducted through these addresses will now necessitate a license.
This move by the U.S. is the latest in a series of attempts to restrict Russia’s access to advanced technology. In June, the Biden administration expanded sanctions on semiconductor sales to Russia, specifically targeting Chinese third-party sellers. Additionally, in August, Russia and China unveiled plans to initiate barter trading systems to circumvent U.S. banking surveillance.
