President Trump's administration added 33 Chinese firms and institutions to an economic blacklisting due to national security and human rights issues, according to a recently published article.

National Security and Human Rights Issues

The U.S. Department of Commerce announced on Friday the latest move of Trump's administration to crack down Chinese firms and institutions that may be using the goods of the U.S. that might put the national security at risk and its treatment to the Muslim minorities.

In the official statement released by the department, it says that the U.S. will add 24 Chinese governmental and commercial organizations "for engaging in activities contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States."

Additionally, seven Chinese companies and two institutions were also blacklisted for being "complicit in human rights violations and abuses committed in China's campaign of repression, mass arbitrary detention, forced labor and high-technology surveillance against Uighurs," the department says.

Some of the Chines Companies Blacklisted by the U.S. Department of Commerce  

Some of the blacklisted companies are the following:

  • Major Chinese cybersecurity firm Qihoo 360
  • Softbank Group Corp-backed CloudMinds that operates a cloud-based service to run AI
  • Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research 
  • Harbin Engineering University and Harbin Institute of Technology 

Meanwhile, the major Chinese cybersecurity firm Qihoo 360 firmly opposed the accusations against them because they believed that the U.S. Commerce Department lack credible evidence to prove the allegations. 

According to Qihoo 360, they helped Apple, Google, Microsoft, and other companies to discover thousands of security vulnerabilities and indirectly protect netizens. The company also claimed that their system has been highly praised by these companies. 

Another company is CloudWalk Technology. In a statement that the company released, they said: "CloudWalk conducts business activities on the basis of strictly abiding by the laws and regulations of relevant countries and regions. CloudWalk has continued to maintain good cooperative relations with ecological partners in China and other countries and jointly provide better services to users."

Moreover, CloudWalk Technology added that they will maintain their active communication with all parties to ensure fair and equitable treatment.

What Will Happen Next to these Companies?

The pronouncement of the U.S. Department of Commerce means that it will restrict sales of goods shipped to them. Moreover, some more limited items made abroad with U.S. content or technology will also be controlled.

What Chinese Official Said? 

Meanwhile, Bai Ming, deputy director of the Academy of International Trade and economic cooperation in the Ministry of Commerce, told a Chinese news outlet: "The U.S. suppression targets not only Chinese enterprises but focuses more on industries. The U.S. tactic to strike the Chinese technology industry shows the characteristics of 'a combination blow,' among which non-business purposes become pronounced, sacrificing even the United States' interest."

Bai added, "Do not think the U.S. is only targeting tech giants like Huawei, it is also plotting to round up small and medium-sized ones that have potential to become bigger and stronger and knock them off collectively."

The latest move of Trump's administration might escalate the trade war and trade agreement of the U.S. and China.  

Read related articles: