China insists the balloon was a “civil airship used for research, mainly meteorological purposes”.
Washington:
The US Commerce Department said Friday it has blacklisted six Chinese entities for supporting Beijing’s military modernization efforts, particularly related to aerospace programs, including airships and balloons.
The move came a day after US lawmakers unanimously denounced China’s use of a suspected spy balloon that flew over North America last week.
The balloon’s days-long crossing from Alaska to South Carolina caught the attention of mainstream Americans and officials before the U.S. military shot it down off the country’s east coast on Saturday.
Companies added to the so-called Entity List are not allowed to obtain US items and technologies without government approval.
“The use of high-altitude balloons by the People’s Republic of China violates our sovereignty and poses a threat to the national security of the United States,” Deputy Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Alan Estevez said in a statement Friday.
“Today’s action makes it clear that entities seeking to harm US national security and sovereignty will no longer have access to US technologies,” he added.
The six companies include Beijing Nanjiang Aerospace Technology Co; China Electronics Technology Group Corporation 48th Research Institute; and Dongguan Lingkong Remote Sensing Technology Co.
The other three are Eagles Men Aviation Science and Technology Group Co.; Guangzhou Tian-Hai-Xiang Aviation Technology Co.; together with Shanxi Eagles Men Aviation Science and Technology Group Co.
In a document, the Commerce Ministry said China’s military uses high-altitude balloons “for intelligence and reconnaissance activities,” adding that it was against US national security and foreign policy interests.
China insists the balloon was a “civil airship used for research, mainly meteorological purposes”.
But a State Department official has indicated that the US believes the balloon is under the control of China’s People’s Liberation Army and part of a flotilla that China has sent to more than 40 countries on five continents to collect intelligence.
Friday’s action signals concerted efforts to identify and disrupt China’s use of surveillance balloons, “which have violated the airspace of the United States and more than 40 countries,” said Deputy Secretary of Commerce for Export Enforcement Matthew Axelrod.
“Export enforcement will vigilantly monitor shipments to the listed parties, prevent them and investigate any attempts to circumvent these restrictions,” he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NewsMadura staff and is being published from a syndicated feed.)
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