US sanctions 31 China-based companies over Russia

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – The US has sanctioned 31 Chinese companies among its 200 targets over Russia’s war in Ukraine.

“The US sanctioned 31 PRC-based companies for providing critical technologies to Russia for its defense industrial base,” said Nicholas Burns, Washington’s top diplomat in Beijing, referring to China by its official name.

“We said we would act if China did not stop these sales,” he said on X.

The launch of sanctions comes days after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a trip to Beijing warned that Washington could impose sanctions on Chinese entities for their support to Russia's defense industry.

The State Department said Wednesday it was designating several Chinese entities “responsible for developing, and supplying dual-use aerospace, manufacturing, and technology equipment to entities based in Russia.”​​​​​​​

“Specifically, these designations target producers and exporters of items critical to Russia’s defense-industrial base, some of whom have shipped goods to US-designated entities in Russia,” it said in a statement.