America Declares Sanctions on Chinese Enterprises and Individuals

On the evening of Feb. 11, Eastern Standard Time, the American State Department officially published a document titled “Imposition of Nonproliferation Sanctions against Foreign Entities and Individuals,” which declares sanctions on organizations and businesses from many countries. Included were the BST Technology and Trade Company, China Precision Machinery Import and Export Corporation, Dalian Sunny Industries, Poly Technologies Inc. and one Chinese individual. Also listed in the sanctions were the countries of Belarus, Iran, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and other nations.

The document stated that to be included on the list, each of the entities or individuals had been involved with purchasing from or transferring to Iran, North Korea or Syria equipment and technology listed on multilateral export control lists, or items not listed that could also be used to contribute to weapons of mass destruction or cruise missiles.

According to the document, Dalian Sunny Industries director Li Fangwei is being punished under the Export Administration Act and Arms Export Control Act for transporting technology that qualifies as guided missile control system equipment or technology.

On Dec. 20 of last year, the American government decided to invoke the law and impose sanctions on the aforementioned entities and individuals. According to these laws, the American government shall not engage the sanctioned entities or individuals in business dealings and will not allow them to benefit from government programs. Furthermore, in accordance with the Arms Export Control Act, business transactions involving military affairs or supplies will be halted. Under the sanctions, America shall not issue business permits to the sanctioned entities or individuals and existing permits shall be canceled. The sanctions took effect on Feb. 5 and will stand for two years.

The spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hua Chunying, expressed “intense dissatisfaction and opposition” to the sanctions. For America to invoke its domestic laws in imposing sanctions on a Chinese company is a serious violation of the norms governing international relations, and does harm to China’s interests. The Chinese side pressed the American government to “correct its erroneous practice and revoke the irrational sanctions it has placed on the relevant parties,” and to stop doing harm to China’s interests and Chinese-U.S. relations.

The U.S. State Department did not respond to questions from journalists at the People’s Daily.