US blacklists Chinese individuals, firms over South China Sea

The United States targeted 24 Chinese companies and a number of individuals it said were part of ongoing “construction and military actions” over islands in the South China Sea.

Companies blacklisted by the US Department of Commerce on Wednesday include Guangzhou Haige Communications Group, several firms that appear to be related to the China Communications Construction Co, as well as Beijing Huanjia Telecommunication, Changzhou Guoguang Data Communications, China Electronics Technology Group Corp and China Shipbuilding Group.

The companies were placed on the commerce department’s “entity list” which allows it to block exports of US goods and materials to them.

The commerce department, in a statement, said the two dozen companies played a “role in helping the Chinese military construct and militarize” the islands.

The department, in a separate statement, said it would impose visa restrictions on Chinese individuals “responsible for, or complicit in” such action in the South China Sea.

The names of the individuals were not made available.