The Ministry of Commerce Photo: VCG
China has decided to add 10 US firms to the country's unreliable entity list for engaging in arms sales to the Taiwan region and conducting so-called cooperation on military technologies with the island, the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Tuesday.
The companies involved are TCOM, Limited Partnership, Stick Rudder Enterprises LLC, Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc, Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc, S3 AeroDefense, Cubic Corporation, TextOre, ACT1 Federal, Exovera and Planate Management Group, according to a notice on the website of the MOFCOM on Tuesday.
The companies are banned from engaging in import and export activities related to China and from making new investments within the territory of China, according to the notice.
These companies, despite strong Chinese opposition, have either engaged in arms sales to Taiwan region or conducted so-called cooperation on military technologies with the island, severely harming China's national sovereignty, security and development interests. The entities are held accountable for their illegal liabilities in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, said a spokesperson of the MOFCOM.
Noting that China's unreliable entity provisions only target a few foreign entities that undermine China's national security, the ministry said the Chinese government will always welcome foreign companies to invest and expand their businesses in China, and is committed to providing a stable, fair and predictable business environment for law-abiding companies operating in China.
In addition, the MOFCOM also said on Tuesday that it has decided to include US firm Illumina, Inc. in the unreliable entities list on February 4 according to the relevant Chinese laws to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests.
The firm has violated the normal principles of market transactions, disrupted the normal business transactions with Chinese enterprises, and adopted discriminatory measures against Chinese enterprises, seriously undermining the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises, the MOFCOM said.
The firm is prohibited from exporting gene sequencers to China starting from Tuesday.
