According to a source, the United States will blacklist dozens of Chinese companies, including the country's SMIC chipmic maker starting today. In addition, the action was taken just weeks before Democratic President-elect Joe Biden was scheduled to take office on January 20.
In addition, the Department of Commerce is expected to add about 80 additional companies and partners to the list and most of the companies are from China.
Based on a statement issued by China's foreign ministry, the blacklist is alleged to be evidence of US repression of Chinese companies and Beijing will continue to take further action to protect their rights.
However, SMIC and the Department of Commerce do not want to submit any comments on the issue.
Meanwhile, the Department of Commerce is rumored to list several Chinese companies allegedly affiliated with the Chinese military, including several companies that assisted the country in building and militarizing artificial islands in the South China Sea, as well as some involved in human rights violations.
Previously, the Trump Administration often used a list of entities that now includes more than 275 Chinese-based companies and partners aimed at putting pressure on key Chinese industries.
It includes telecommunications equipment giant Huawei Technologies Co. and its 150 partners, and ZTE Corp. for breach of restrictions, as well as maker of surveillance cameras Hikvision over the oppression of the Chinese Uighur minority.
