China criticizes U.S. for putting Chinese firms on trade blacklist

(Reuters) China on Thursday criticized the United States for putting a dozen Chinese companies on its trade blacklist over national security and foreign policy concerns, citing in some cases their help developing the Chinese military’s quantum computing efforts.

The Chinese additions to the blacklist maintained by the U.S. commerce department comes amid growing tensions between Beijing and Washington over the status of Taiwan and trade issues.

China strongly opposes the sanctions on the Chinese companies, and will lodge solemn representations with the United States, Shu Jueting, a spokesperson for the Chinese commerce ministry, said at a news conference on Thursday.

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in a statement on Wednesday that the new listings will help prevent U.S. technology from supporting the development of Chinese and Russian “military advancement and activities of non-proliferation concern like Pakistan’s unsafeguarded nuclear activities or ballistic missile program.”