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China Blacklists U.S. Firms and Tightens Drone Exports in Retaliation

Beijing says the measures respond to recent U.S. tariffs tied to forced‑labour and national‑security claims and could slow U.S. access to drone technology.

Overview

  • China on Wednesday announced a package of countermeasures that includes blacklisting six U.S. companies and strengthening export controls on drones and related components bound for the United States.
  • The list names firms such as Applied DNA Sciences and Stratum Reservoir and bars Chinese individuals and organizations from carrying out transactions or cooperation with those companies.
  • As enforcement steps, the Commerce Ministry suspended factory follow‑up inspections by domestic certification bodies, blacklisted some U.S. compliance testing firms, and opened a national‑security probe into imported office copiers and printers.
  • Beijing framed the actions as a direct response to recent U.S. tariffs and sanctions tied to alleged forced labour in Xinjiang and raised concerns through a call from senior trade envoy He Lifeng to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
  • The measures create a new chokepoint for U.S. drone supply chains that could delay shipments, raise costs for American buyers and complicate commercial and diplomatic ties ahead of Xi Jinping’s planned U.S. visit.