China vows to shield Chinese firms from US sanctions over Xinjiang

China on May 22 said that it firmly opposes the latest US sanctions imposed on nine Chinese entities related to human rights abuses in Xinjiang province, where critics accuse Beijing of carrying out a campaign of repression against members of Muslim minority groups. China’s foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian during a daily press meet on May 25 said the US's action on Chinese firms is nothing but interference in its internal affairs adding that Beijing deplores the sanctions. 

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"These nine parties are complicit in human rights violations and abuses committed in China’s campaign of repression, mass arbitrary detention, forced labor and high-technology surveillance against Uighurs, ethnic Kazakhs, and other members of Muslim minority groups in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (XUAR)," US Department of Commerce said in a press release on May 22. 

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"The Entity List additions restrict the export of U.S items subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to persons or organizations reasonably believed to be involved or to pose a significant risk of being of becoming involved, in activities contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States. The EAR imposes additional license requirements on, and limits the availability of most license exceptions for, exports, re-exports, and transfers (in-country) to listed entities," it added further. 

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US-China tensions

US-China relations are currently at its weakest point in recent history with Washington accusing the Communist government of not complying with international laws while dealing with minorities in its country. The United States has also threatened to interfere in Hong Kong's ongoing pro-democracy movement and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo demanding the release of Tibetian monk Panchen Lama. The United States recently proposed to sell torpedoes to Taiwan, which Beijing considers as its own territory and expects allies to adhere to the One-China policy.

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(Image Credit: AP)