In response to the Chinese spy balloons entering the United States, the Biden administration on Friday blacklisted six Chinese entities linked to the Chinese balloon espionage programme.
Three days after the Chinese spy balloon entered the United States, the US figher planes shot it down on February 4 after the go-ahead from President Joe Biden. It was shot down off the coast of South Carolina to rule out any damage to people or property on ground from falling debris.
The economic restrictions followed the Biden administration's pledge to consider broader efforts to address Chinese surveillance activities and will make it more difficult for the five companies and one research institute to obtain American technology exports.
The Chinese spy balloon brought new tensions to the US-China relationship. The blacklisting is likely to further escalate the diplomatic row between the United States and China sparked by the balloon. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has already postponed a visit to China.
The US Bureau of Industry and Security said the six entities were being targeted for “their support to China's military modernization efforts, specifically the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) aerospace programs including airships and balloons”.
“The PLA is utilizing High Altitude Balloons (HAB) for intelligence and reconnaissance activities,” it said.
Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves said on Twitter his department “will not hesitate to continue to use" such restrictions and other regulatory and enforcement tools "to protect U.S. national security and sovereignty”.
The six entities are:
- Beijing Nanjiang Aerospace Technology Co.,
- China Electronics Technology Group Corporation 48th Research Institute,
- Dongguan Lingkong Remote Sensing Technology Co.,
- Eagles Men Aviation Science and Technology Group Co.,
- Guangzhou Tian-Hai-Xiang Aviation Technology Co., and
- Shanxi Eagles Men Aviation Science and Technology Group Co.
Even as the issue of Chinese spy balloon had not yet calmed, the White House on Friday announced that it had shot down another "high flying object" in the skies over Alaska. The nature of the object was not immediately disclosed.
The object was downed because it reportedly posed a threat to the safety of civilian flights, instead of any knowledge that it was engaged in surveillance.
But the twin incidents in such close succession reflect heightened concerns over China's surveillance program and public pressure on Biden to take a tough stand against it.
(With AP inputs)
