United States blacklists 28 China firms over abuses in Xinjiang

Donald Trump

Washington: The US has blacklisted 28 Chinese companies from purchasing any American products for being implicated in human rights violations and other abuses in China's Xinjiang region. The US Department of Commerce said the action constricts the export of items subject to the Export Administration Regulations to entities that have been implicated in human rights violations and abuses in China's campaign targeting Uighurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region.

"The US Government cannot and will not tolerate the brutal suppression of ethnic minorities within China," Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross said. "This action will ensure that our technologies fostered in an environment of individual liberty and free enterprise are not used to repress defenceless minority populations," he said.

Located in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region and throughout China, these entities have all been implicated in the implementation of China's campaign of repression, mass arbitrary detention, and high-technology surveillance, the Department of Commerce said.

Stay away: China tells US
Chinese foreign ministry criticised the curbs on sales of US technology to the Chinese firms as interference in China's affairs but gave no indication whether Beijing might retaliate. "We urge the US to immediately correct its wrong practices, withdraw the relevant decisions and stop interfering in China's internal affairs," said the spokesman, Geng Shuang.

"China will continue to take firm and strong measures to resolutely safeguard the country's sovereignty, security and development interests." The curbs are an added strain for US-Chinese relations and have stoked alarm about the possible impact on the global economy at a time when growth is weakening.

... but Trump says 'good possibility of a trade deal'

There is a great possibility of a trade deal with China, President Donald Trump has said, ahead of the Chinese Vice Premier Liu He's visit to the US for trade talks. The US and China will hold the next round of trade talks on October 10, said the White House, as the two major trading powers tried to end their bruising trade war. Trump said there's a great possibility for a deal with China. He said, "As to whether or not we make a deal, I don't know. But there's certainly a good possibility. But the relationship is a very good one. We have taken in billions of dollars".

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