China rejects U.S. pretexts to sanction and repress Chinese companies

China firmly rejects the use by the United States of all kinds of pretexts to sanction and repress Chinese companies, a Foreign Ministry spokesman told a news conference on Friday.
The spokesman, Zhao Lijian, made the comments in response to reports that the U.S. Federal Register released a notice announcing sanctions against the First Academy of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the Fourth Academy of the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC, and Poly Technologies Incorporated (PTI) for engaging in missile technology proliferation activities.
The notice was posted on the U.S. government agency’s website, with a publication date of Jan. 21, local time.
Zhao said that, for political reasons, the United States uses all sorts of pretexts to sanction and crack down on Chinese companies. “This is a typical practice of harassment,” the spokesman said. “China deplores it and rejects it.”
Zhao noted that the Chinese government consistently opposes the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery.
China exercises strict controls on the export of missiles and related items, as well as technologies, in accordance with national non-proliferation policies, laws and regulations, he said, adding that China’s normal cooperation with relevant countries does not violate any international law or involve the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
In recent years, the United States has been flagrantly applying double standards on nonproliferation, the spokesman added.
“In addition to being lenient and supporting the development of missiles and relevant technologies of its allies, it also plans to sell to Australia the Tomahawk cruise missile, which has a flight range of up to 2,500 kilometers and is capable of carrying nuclear warheads,” he said.
The spokesman stressed that the United States should seriously reflect on its non-proliferation record and arms trade policy, and stressed that the United States is not in a position to make rude comments about the normal cooperation of other countries in the arms trade.
“We urge the United States to correct its mistakes, to withdraw the decision to impose sanctions, and to stop cracking down on Chinese companies or defaming China. The Chinese side reserves the right to take additional measures,” Zhao said.

Original source in Spanish