US Bans Several Chinese Companies Over Human Rights Violation And Military Security Threats

The US government has blacklisted several Chinese companies over the connection with surveillance and supporting human rights violations in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region.

Photo/PTI

New Delhi: The US government has blacklisted several Chinese companies over surveillance and supporting human right violation of Uighurs in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region. According to a report by ANI, on Friday, the Commerce Department named 9 Chinese entities that were connected with human rights violations in the Uighur territory. It contained a list of 7 of the top high tech surveillance companies that assist Beijing in surveillance. The listed included companies such as CloudWalk Technology which works with artificial and facial recognition tools and FiberHome Technologies Group which gives IT and telecommunication solutions. According to the report these companies were used for surveillance of the Muslim minorities in the Xinjiang region. Apart from this there were 24 companies in the list listed based in China, Hong Kong, and the Cayman Islands that related to procurement of items for military use. These companies included both commercial and government entities. According to a statement which was cited in the Wall Street Journal, the entities ‘represent a significant risk of supporting the procurement of items for military end-use in China.’ The US government has added these companies to the export blacklist and has been listed as ‘businesses and individuals that are considered to be national security threats or engaged in activities contrary to the United States foreign policy. The American companies that continue to do business with them risk steep fines or jail time.’ Research institute Beijing Computer Science Research Center(CSRC) and Qihoo 360 which develops Internet and mobile security products were among the companies listed that were involved in procuring military technology.