Beijing expressed “deep unhappiness” with the latest US decision to penalize more Chinese companies on Friday.
At a news briefing in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning asked the US to “stop abusing various justifications to unfairly repress Chinese enterprises.”
According to the Chinese tabloid Global Times, the US has added over 20 Chinese firms to its trade blacklist, citing potential national security dangers.
The US State Department, on the other hand, announced on Thursday that it sanctioned six firms involved in the transport or sale of Iranian petroleum or petrochemical products.
Washington has charged these companies with aiding “Beijing’s surveillance of ethnic minorities and facilitating Iran’s oil exports in violation of US sanctions.”
There is one from Vietnam, two from China, two from Iran, and one from the United Arab Emirates.
The blacklisted entities are accused of large transactions involving the transportation of Iranian petroleum and petrochemical items.
Furthermore, the US State Department stated that it has identified 20 vessels as sanctioned entities’ restricted property.