U.S. Blacklists 6 Chinese Firms Linked To Spy Balloons

The United States has blacklisted six Chinese entities it said were linked to Beijing's aerospace programs as part of its retaliation over an alleged Chinese spy balloon that traversed US airspace, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

Photo Insert: The US Department of Commerce

With the economic restrictions, the Biden administration has redeemed its pledge to address Chinese surveillance activities strictly and prevent the five companies and one research institute to obtain US advanced technology.

They are expected to escalate the diplomatic row between the US and China sparked by the balloon, which was shot down last weekend off the Carolina coast.

Investigators said the balloon was equipped to detect and collect intelligence signals but Beijing insists it was a weather craft that had an array of antennas and sensitive data collection gear when it was “blown off course” but steadied itself while hovering over US missile sites.

The incident forced Secretary of State Antony Blinken to abruptly cancel a high-stakes trip to Beijing aimed at easing tensions.

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.”

PLA utilizes 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 US national security and sovereignty.”

The six blacklisted entities are Beijing Nanjiang Aerospace Technology Co., China Electronics Technology Group Corp.’s 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.

On Friday, a US warplane shot down an unknown object flying off the remote northern coast of Alaska on orders from President Joe Biden. 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.

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