Photo: Courtesy of Spacety

After the US Treasury Department slapped a sanction on Changsha-based Spacety Co., Ltd, the company responded to the Global Times in an exclusive interview on Sunday that all products and services of the company are intended for civilian and commercial use and do not involve any military use and the company is determined to protect its legitimate rights and benefits through legal means.

The Treasury Department announced sanctions targeting the Russia-based Wagner Group on Thursday, designating it as a transnational criminal organization. The same day, Spacety China was accused by the US Treasury Department of providing the Wagner Group with radar satellite imagery over locations in Ukraine to Russia-based technology firm Joint Stock Company Terra Tech and was listed in the 16 entities slapped with curbs by the Treasury Department.

"We have checked historical business and transaction records. and we, as well as our subsidiaries, have no business dealings with Russia's Terra Tech Company and Wagner Group. We and all commercial clients have signed the 'Commitment of Product Use' and 'End User Agreement' to ensure that our products and services are intended for civilian and commercial use and do not involve any military use. We also have checked the list of end users, and did not find Terra Tech and Wagner Group," the company said in a statement provided to the Global Times on Sunday.

"We are in active communication with all parties, doing our best to ensure open, fair and just treatment, and safeguard our legitimate rights and interests through lawful means," the statement said. "At the same time, we will continue to strengthen the company's compliance review, and strongly hope to engage in dialogues with a sincere, open and transparent attitude with all parties, to resolve possible differences and misunderstandings."

The company declared that they have been strictly abiding by the laws and regulations of relevant countries and regions in the course of business development, and does not have any business that violates sanctions imposed on Russia, and their products and services are all used for civil and commercial purposes and do not involve any military use.

Since its establishment six years ago, Spacety China has successfully launched 26 satellites, including China's first commercial SAR satellite Haisea-1 and the country's first commercial SAR network satellite Chaohu-1, realizing the localization of commercial radar remote sensing satellite data, the Global Times learned from the company. 

It also achieved the highest resolution of light and small C-band commercial SAR satellites in the world, making Spacety China the third commercial SAR satellite operator in the world after ICEYE and Capella.

The company said it has been committed to developing the most cost-effective small satellites. The satellite images of the company are mainly used in land resources survey and topographic mapping, marine environment monitoring and ship identification, agricultural product yield estimation and agricultural resources investigation, geological disaster, flood and drought disaster monitoring, urban safety, energy safety, traffic safety, mine safety and other safety assessment. 

According to Spacety China, the company has provided tens of thousands of satellite remote sensing images to the National Emergency Response Ministry, the Ministry of Natural Resources and other ministries, as well as international organizations under the framework of the Group on Earth Observations, contributing to the construction of the global emergency response and security system.

The Global Times learned from the company that they are now actively communicating with all parties to ensure a transparent, fair and just treatment. 

"In the future, we will continue to strictly abide by the laws and regulations of relevant countries in our R&D and operations activities, and to provide the most advanced technology, the most reliable products, and the best services to build a better future for human life," the company said in the statement.