Long-arm jurisdiction employed with malicious intent

Chinese and US flags flutter outside the building of an American company in Beijing. [Photo/Agencies]

The US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security added six more Chinese entities, along with other 20 entities from Egypt, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, to the Entity List for activities detrimental to US “national security” and foreign policy on Monday.

According to the statement released by BIS announcing the move, these additions are related to alleged violations of export controls, involvement in weapons programs of concern, and evasion of US sanctions and export controls on Russia and Iran.

The bureau claims that the six Chinese entities were added to the list for acquiring US-origin items in support of China’s military modernization, dilatory and evasive conduct during end-use checks, and procurement of US-origin items for Iran’s “weapons of mass destruction” and unmanned aerial vehicle programs.

Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Alan Estevez said: “Our actions today send a message to malicious actors that if they violate our controls, they will pay a price.”

The additions to the list under the excuse of protecting “national security” represent the latest move the US side has taken to safeguard its hegemony. By resorting to long-arm jurisdiction and unilateral sanctions in this way, the US undermines the international trade order and rules, hinders normal international economic and trade exchanges, and threatens the security and stability of the global industry and supply chains.

Previously, the US had added many Chinese entities to its Entity List for allegedly violating its unilateral sanctions on Russia. It added 42 Chinese entities, along with hundreds of entities from other countries, to the Entity List in late August for that reason.

While the US has introduced a large-scale aid bill for Ukraine and Israel, it has made groundless accusations against the normal Sino-Russian and Sino-Iranian economic and trade exchanges. This practice is extremely hypocritical and irresponsible.

Whether on the Ukraine crisis or the Middle East crisis, China has always maintained an objective and fair position, actively advocated for peace and promoted talks, and facilitated political solutions. China is not the creator of or party to the two crises and it has never added fuel to the fire or taken advantage of them to serve its own interests.

It must be pointed out that China’s right to conduct normal economic and trade exchanges with countries around the world, including Russia and Iran, on the basis of equality and mutual benefit must not be interfered with or undermined, and China’s legitimate rights and interests must not be violated.

More important, the US does not have the legitimacy to try and interfere in China’s modernization of its military, which is an important power safeguarding regional and world peace.

On the contrary, it is the US and its allies and proxies that have been continuously provoking China over the Taiwan question and South China Sea issues at the costs of regional peace and stability.

As before, China has every right to take necessary measures to protect Chinese enterprises’ legal rights and interests in the face of the US’ economic and trade bullying and coercion.

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