Weekly Brief: The United States Blacklist Spree

Photo: Japan Times

The Biden administration has been adding Chinese companies and institutions to blacklists that restrict their access to U.S investments and technology since June of 2021. However, before the Biden administration took over the Trump administration had started the blacklisting of Chinese firms. These blacklists were first introduced in opposition to China’s suspected human rights abuses against their minor ethnicities and now include reasons such as suspected support of China’s military.

As the administration of President Biden further moves against China, they have announced new sanctions on more than 40 Chinese firms and entities.

The treasury department announced on Thursday the December 16th that it had added eight Chinese technology companies on an investment blacklist due to their support of biometric surveillance and tracking of ethnic and religious minorities in China. The biggest shocker was the inclusion of the largest drone manufacturer in the world, DJI, to the entry list. In the department’s words “DJI has provided drones to the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau, which are used to surveil Uyghurs in Xinjiang."

The companies include Cloudwalk Technology Co., Ltd.; Dawning Information Industry Co., Ltd.; Leon Technology Company Limited; Megvii Technology Limited; Netposa Technologies Limited; SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd.; Xiamen Meiya Pico Information Co., Ltd.; and Yitu Limited.

The commerce department also announced on Thursday that it had added 34 Chinese entities and firms, including but not limited to biotechnology research institutes such as Academy of Military Medical Sciences; Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Field Blood Transfusion Institution; Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Institute of Basic Medicine; (please visit https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2021-27406.pdf for the full list) the Commerce department accused the firms of aiding China to "develop and deploy biotechnology and other technologies for military applications and human rights abuses."

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References

Bureau of Industry and Security (2021) Addition of Certain Entities to the Entity List and Revision of an Entry on the Entity List. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/12/17/2021-27406/addition-of-certain-entities-to-the-entity-list-and-revision-of-an-entry-on-the-entity-list

Treasury Identifies Eight Chinese Tech Firms as Part of The Chinese Military-Industrial Complex. (2021, December 14). U.S. Department of the Treasury. https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0538

Leary, A., & Talley, I. (2021, December 17). U.S. Blacklists Dozens of Chinese Entities Over Surveillance, Military Work. WSJ. https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-to-blacklist-more-chinese-tech-companies-over-surveillance-11639663210