US Sanctions Chinese Officials and Firms Over South China Sea

Chinese firms also added to investment blacklist and export blacklist

Dave DeCamp 

Posted onJanuary 14, 2021CategoriesNewsTagsChina

Determined to ratchet up US-China tensions until the end, the Trump administration announced new sanctions on Chinese officials and a Chinese oil firm over issues related to the South China Sea.

On Thursday, the US implemented visa restrictions on Chinese officials affiliated with state-owned enterprises and Chinese military officials, accusing them of using “coercion” against Southeast Asian countries in the South China Sea.

The US Commerce Department added the Chinese oil firm CNOOC to an export blacklist, accusing it of “harassing and threatening offshore oil and gas exploration” in the South China Sea.

Washington has inserted itself in a maritime dispute between China and its Southeast Asian neighbors over the waters of the South China Sea. In July, the Trump administration formally rejected most of Beijing’s claims to the waters. Since 2015, the US has challenged Beijing’s claims by sailing warships near disputed islands in the region.

Also on Thursday, the US added nine more Chinese firms to a blacklist that prohibits Americans from investing in the companies over alleged military ties. The list now includes 44 Chinese companies. The blacklist caused the New York Stock Exchange to delist three of China’s largest telecommunication companies.

https://news.antiwar.com/2021/01/14/us-sanctions-chinese-officials-and-firms-over-south-china-sea/