The United States added six Chinese companies to its blacklist on Friday, after the destruction of a Chinese balloon that flew over the United States equipped with espionage tools, which prohibits them from accessing unauthorized US technologies and assets.
According to sources consulted by Bloomberg, the companies are said to be connected to a military-backed balloon espionage program.
“China’s use of high-altitude balloons violates our sovereignty and threatens the national security of the United States,” Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Alan Estevez said in a Commerce Department statement.
Washington shot down last Saturday off the Atlantic coast a balloon that flew over sensitive military sites. Beijing assures that it was a “civilian aircraft used for research purposes, mainly meteorological”.
(You can read: China rejects talks with the US for alleged ‘information war’)
But images captured by US military aircraft nevertheless show that the balloon was equipped with spy tools, according to the North American country.
The incident prompted the head of US diplomacy, Antony Blinken, to postpone a visit to China.
In addition, the United States shot down this Friday, on the orders of President Joe Biden, an object that was flying high over Alaska, a White House spokesman said on Friday, without giving details about the nature or origin of that object.
According to the United States, Chinese spy balloons have flown over more than 40 countries on 5 continents, in a plan directly related to the Chinese Army.
A senior State Department official assured that these balloons have multiple antennas to geolocate and intercept communications, as well as solar panels to produce the energy necessary to operate their sensors.
According to the State Department, these espionage activities “are often carried out under the direction” of the Chinese military.
“We are sure that the manufacturer of the balloons has a direct relationship with the Chinese military,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Even on the website of the manufacturer of these devices there are images of previous flights that allegedly were made over United States airspace, he said.
(Further: US says Chinese ‘surveillance’ balloons operate on ‘five continents’)
This is not the right atmosphere for dialogue and exchange between the two armies
For its part, the Chinese Defense Ministry this week refused to hold high-level bilateral talks, a decision that Beijing justified by Washington’s “mistake” of shooting down the
balloon that flew over the United States.
“The Chinese Defense Ministry does not accept the proposal for the defense ministers of both countries to hold talks, given the US mistake of attacking a Chinese civilian unmanned aircraft,” it said in a statement.
“This irresponsible and seriously erroneous act means that we are not facing the right atmosphere for dialogue and exchange between the two armies,” the ministry added.
What does it mean to appear on the blacklist?
This is an alleged export blacklist that only allows US exports when the government grants licences.
The list, which now includes the six Chinese companies, “is a powerful tool to identify and block actors seeking to use their access to global markets to harm and threaten the national security of the United States,” said Assistant Secretary for Commerce Don Graves.
“We will not hesitate to use (this) list and our other regulatory and enforcement tools to protect the national security of the United States,” he added.
(Further: US says downing of Chinese spy balloon respected international law)
The Biden government is exploring taking action against China and against companies linked to the Chinese Army in the spy balloon plan, he warned.
Indeed, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday that the Administration would “explore action against PRC entities that supported the balloon’s incursion into US airspace. “.
The measures against China already go much further. In fact, a lawmaker wants to ban Chinese citizens from buying property in Texas, for “national security” reasons.
This is the Republican Lois Kolkhorst, senator in the legislature of the state of Texas (southern United States).
INTERNATIONAL WRITING
*With information from AFP, Efe and Bloomberg
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