China announces "countermeasures" after US trade sanctions
2026-08-05 10:05:18Beijing, China -Chinaannounced restrictions on drone exports to the US and blacklisted six companies on Wednesday in response to trade sanctions imposed by Washington over alleged forced. . .
2026-08-05 10:05:18Beijing, China -Chinaannounced restrictions on drone exports to the US and blacklisted six companies on Wednesday in response to trade sanctions imposed by Washington over alleged forced labor and national security concerns. China has announced new restrictions on drone exports to the US and blacklisted six companies. © IMAGO / Rainer UnkelThe move comes days after the US imposed fresh tariffs on China and 59 other countries, adding to a series of recent trade measures. The US actions "seriously harm China's legitimate rights and interests," a commerce ministry spokesperson said in a statement. "China can only take necessary countermeasures in response, including strengthening export controls on drones, and their key components and technology to the US. "Beijing's measures also include suspending factory follow-up inspections by Chinese certification bodies, blacklisting US compliance testing companies, and launching national security investigations into imports of office printers and copiers, according to the ministry. It also imposed sanctions on six US businesses, including biotech company Applied DNA Sciences and geoscience research firm Stratum Reservoir, barring organizations and individuals within China from "engaging in relevant transactions, cooperation, or other activities with them. "The six entities "have assisted and supported illegal US sanctions related to Xinjiang; the nature of their actions is egregious," the commerce ministry said. US-China trade tensions on the riseChina’s Vice Premier He Lifeng has expressed "serious concern" over recent US trade restrictions. © MAXIM SHEMETOV / POOL / AFPThe UN has warned of possible crimes against humanity in Xinjiang region targeting the mostly Muslim Uyghur minority – accusations China vehemently denies. China's top trade official He Lifeng expressed "serious concern" to US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in a call over the recent restrictions, state news agency Xinhua reported. China also accused the US last week of seeking to "suppress" Chinese companies, after Washingtonbanned imports of humanoid and quadruped robotsmanufactured abroad in a move separate from the new tariffs. China and the US spent much of last year embroiled in an escalating trade war but reached a truce when President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping met last October. The latest US tariffs against China and other trade partners, however, have threatened that truce, with Beijing warning Washington against waging a trade war. Cover photo: IMAGO / Rainer UnkelMore onChina:Chinese trade official warns Beijing has "serious concern" over latest US restrictionsChina threatens to take "countermeasures" against Trump's humanoid robot banChina to send Iran shoulder-launched missile systems, report reveals