The United States government applies sanctions against certain institutions and key members of the Chinese government and its ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP), certain companies linked to the People's Liberation Army (PLA), and other affiliates that the US government has accused of aiding in human rights abuses. The US maintained embargoes against China from the inception of the People's Republic of China in 1949 until 1972. An embargo was reimposed by the US following the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre. From 2020 onward, the US imposed sanctions and visa restrictions against several Chinese government officials and companies, in response to the persecution of Uyghurs in China, human rights abuses in Hong Kong and Tibet, military-civil fusion, support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and fentanyl production.
Due to concerns about national security and human rights, the United States has gradually increased sanctions against Chinese businesses and organisations. According to the United States Department of Commerce, 721 Chinese businesses, organizations, and individuals have been added to a "entity list" that restricts their ability to purchase goods from the United States. [1]
After the establishment of Communist rule in China in 1949, an embargo against the sale of military technology or infrastructure, previously levied against the Soviet Union, was expanded to include the newly established People's Republic of China. [2] Following the onset of the Korean War, further trade restrictions were imposed. [3] According to academic Chun Lin, the embargo resulted in increased Chinese nationalism. [4]
The trade embargo was lifted under President Richard Nixon in 1972 right before the opening of China and establishment of official relations. [5]
Following the Tiananmen Square massacre, the Bush Sr. administration imposed an arms embargo against the PRC after the massacre of the protesters. [6]
The United States has sanctioned and prosecuted Chinese companies and individuals for providing material assistance to Iran's missile program. In 2014, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Sinotech Dalian Carbon and Graphite Manufacturing Corporation for helping Iran buy parts to produce ballistic missiles. [7] In June 2023, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Zhejiang Qingji and other entities in China and Hong Kong for selling centrifuge equipment to Iran. [8] [9] In September 2023, six Chinese entities were sanctioned for allegedly assisting the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries Corporation make drones to attack oil tankers and for export to Russia's military. [10]
In August 2018, President Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (NDAA 2019) which banned Huawei and ZTE equipment from being used by the U.S. federal government, citing security concerns. [11] [12] [13]
In addition, on 15 May 2019, the Department of Commerce added Huawei and 70 foreign subsidiaries and "affiliates" to its Entity List under the Export Administration Regulations, citing the company having been indicted for "knowingly and willfully causing the export, re-export, sale and supply, directly and indirectly, of goods, technology and services (banking and other financial services) from the United States to Iran and the government of Iran without obtaining a license from the Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)". [14] This restricts U.S. companies from doing business with Huawei without a government license. [15] [16] [17] [18] Various U.S.-based companies immediately froze their business with Huawei to comply with the regulation. [19] That same year, it was determined that Huawei also provided equipment to build North Korea’s 3G network. [20]
In August 2019, the United States Department of the Treasury designated China a currency manipulator, [21] [22] [23] which resulted in China being excluded from U.S. government procurement contracts. [21] The designation was withdrawn in January 2020 after China agreed to refrain from devaluing its currency to make its own goods cheaper for foreign buyers. [24]
On July 9, 2020, the Trump administration imposed sanctions and visa restrictions against senior Chinese officials, including CCP Politburo member Chen Quanguo, Zhu Hailun, Wang Mingshan ( 王明山 ) and Huo Liujun (霍留军). With sanctions, they and their immediate relatives are barred from entering the US and will have US-based assets frozen. [25] In response, the Chinese government announced sanctions against US Senators Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and other American officials. [26]
In August 2020, Chief Executive Carrie Lam and ten other Hong Kong government officials were sanctioned by the United States Department of the Treasury under an executive order by President Trump for undermining Hong Kong's autonomy. [27] [28] [29] The sanction is based on the Hong Kong Autonomy Act and Lam would be listed in the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List.
On December 7, 2020, pursuant to the order, the US Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on entire 14 Vice Chairpersons of the National People's Congress of China, for "undermining Hong Kong's autonomy and restricting the freedom of expression or assembly". [30]
On November 12, 2020, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 13959, titled "Addressing the Threat From Securities Investments That Finance Communist Chinese Military Companies". The executive order prohibits all U.S. investors (institutional and retail investors alike) from purchasing or investing in securities of companies identified by the U.S. Department of Defense as "Communist Chinese military companies." [31] [32] As of January 14, 2021, 44 Chinese companies were identified. Five of these companies are to be delisted by the New York Stock Exchange by March 2021. [33] On January 13, 2021, the executive order was amended to require divestment from the companies by November 11, 2021. [34]
Section 1260H of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 requires the US Department of Defense to release the names of all "Chinese military companies" operating directly or indirect in the United States. [35] [36]
In June 2022, the United States Department of Commerce placed five Hong Kong companies on the Bureau of Industry and Security's Entity List for providing support to Russia's military. [37] [38] In September 2022, the Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Sinno Electronics of Shenzhen for supplying a Russian military procurement network. [39] [40]
In January 2023, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Spacety China, also known as Changsha Tianyi Space Science and Technology Research Institute Co. Ltd., for providing satellite imagery to the Wagner Group. [41] In February 2023, the U.S. Commerce Department added AOOK Technology Ltd, Beijing Ti-Tech Science and Technology Development Co, Beijing Yunze Technology Co, and China HEAD Aerospace Technology Co to the Entity List for aiding Russia's military. [42] [43] [44]
In March 2023, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned five Chinese companies for supplying equipment to the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industries Corporation, which manufactures HESA Shahed 136 drones used by Russia against Ukraine. [45] [46]
In October 2023, the US Department of Commerce added 42 Chinese companies to the Entity List for supplying Russia with microelectronics for missile and drone guidance systems. [47] In April 2024, the Department of Commerce sanctioned a Chinese company for supporting Russia's military through the procurement, development, and proliferation of Russian drones. [48]
On October 7, 2022, the Bureau of Industry and Security of the United States Department of Commerce implemented controls related to advanced computing and semiconductor manufacturing in China. Some of these controls began immediately whereas others became effective on October 12, 2022, and October 21, 2022. [49] [50] [51]
In March 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce added 28 additional Chinese firms to the Entity List, including Inspur and Loongson, for acquiring American technology in support of the PLA. [52] [53] In October 2023, the Department of Commerce added Biren Technology and Moore Threads to the Entity List. [54] [55]
In April 2023, OFAC sanctioned two companies and four individuals in China, pursuant to Executive Order 14059, for supplying precursor chemicals for fentanyl production to drug cartels in Mexico. [57] [58] In May 2023, OFAC sanctioned an additional seven companies and six people in China for supplying equipment to cartels for fentanyl production. [59] In June 2023, U.S. federal prosecutors announced criminal indictments of fentanyl precursor producers in China. [60] In October 2023, OFAC sanctioned a China-based network of fentanyl manufacturers and distributors. [61] [62]
The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is a financial intelligence and enforcement agency of the U.S. Treasury Department. It administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions in support of U.S. national security and foreign policy objectives. Under Presidential national emergency powers, OFAC carries out its activities against foreign states as well as a variety of other organizations and individuals, like terrorist groups, deemed to be a threat to U.S. national security.
The relationship between the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the United States of America (USA) has been complex and at times contentious since the establishment of the PRC and the retreat of the government of the Republic of China to Taiwan in 1949. Since the normalization of relations in the 1970s, the US–China relationship has been marked by numerous perennial disputes including the political status of Taiwan, territorial disputes in the South China Sea, and more recently the treatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang. They have significant economic ties and are significantly intertwined, yet they also have a global hegemonic great power rivalry. As of 2023, China and the United States are the world's second-largest and largest economies by nominal GDP, as well as the largest and second-largest economies by GDP (PPP) respectively. Collectively, they account for 44.2% of the global nominal GDP, and 34.7% of global PPP-adjusted GDP.
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. is a Chinese multinational digital communications technology conglomerate corporation headquartered in Bantian, Longgang District, Shenzhen, Guangdong. It designs, develops, manufactures and sells telecommunications equipment, consumer electronics, smart devices and various rooftop solar products. The corporation was founded in 1987 by Ren Zhengfei, a former officer in the People's Liberation Army (PLA).
Economic sanctions are commercial and financial penalties applied by states or institutions against states, groups, or individuals. Economic sanctions are a form of coercion that attempts to get an actor to change its behavior through disruption in economic exchange. Sanctions can be intended to compel or deterrence.
A public security bureau (PSB) (Chinese: 公安局; pinyin: gōng'ānjú) of a city or county, or public security department (PSD) (Chinese: 公安厅; pinyin: Gōng'āntīng) of a province or autonomous region, in the People's Republic of China refers to a government office essentially acting as a police station or a local or provincial police; the smallest police stations are called police posts (Chinese: 派出所; pinyin: pàichūsuǒ). The PSB/PSD system is similar in concept to the Japanese kōban system, and is present in each province and municipality. Typically, a PSB/PSD handles policing, public security, and social order. Other duties include residence registration ("hukou") and internal and external migration matters, such as the registration of temporary residents (including both foreign and domestic visitors).
ZTE Corporation is a Chinese partially state-owned technology company that specializes in telecommunication. Founded in 1985, ZTE is listed on both the Hong Kong and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges.
Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) is a partially state-owned publicly listed Chinese pure-play semiconductor foundry company. It is the largest contract chip maker in mainland China.
United States sanctions are financial and trade restrictions imposed against individuals, entities, and jurisdictions whose actions contradict U.S. foreign policy or national security goals. Financial sanctions are primarily administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), while export controls are primarily administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS).
The United States has since 1979 applied various economic, trade, scientific and military sanctions against Iran. United States economic sanctions are administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), an agency of the United States Department of the Treasury. Currently, United States sanctions against Iran include an embargo on dealings with the country by the United States, and a ban on selling aircraft and repair parts to Iranian aviation companies.
The United Arab Emirates has quite a close and friendly relationship with the US, being described as the United States' best counter-terrorism ally in the Gulf by Richard A. Clarke, the U.S. national security advisor and counter-terrorism expert. In terms of defense, the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces has been nicknamed "Little Sparta" by United States Armed Forces generals and former U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis for its active role against extremists in the Middle East. The United Arab Emirates also hosts the only United States border preclearance in the Middle East. Both countries are members of the I2U2 Group, which was established in 2021.
There have been a number of international sanctions against Iran imposed by a number of countries, especially the United States, and international entities. Iran was the most sanctioned country in the world until it was surpassed by Russia, following Russia's invasion of neighboring Ukraine in February 2022.
The Magnitsky Act, formally known as the Russia and Moldova Jackson–Vanik Repeal and Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012, is a bipartisan bill passed by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama in December 2012, intending to punish Russian officials responsible for the death of Russian tax lawyer Sergei Magnitsky in a Moscow prison in 2009 and also to grant permanent normal trade relations status to Russia.
Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co., Ltd., often shortened to Hikvision, is a Chinese state-owned manufacturer and supplier of video surveillance equipment for civilian and military purposes, headquartered in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. Due to its involvement in mass surveillance of Uyghurs, the Xinjiang internment camps, and national security concerns, the company has been placed under sanctions from the U.S. and European governments.
Xia Baolong is a Chinese politician. Originally from Tianjin, Xia began his political career in the Communist Youth League. He served as the vice mayor of Tianjin, governor and Communist Party Secretary of Zhejiang province. Between 2018 and 2023, he served as a vice chairman of the 13th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), being its secretary general from 2018 to 2020. Xia was appointed director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office in February 2020.
The Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List, also known as the SDN List, is a United States government sanctions/embargo measure targeting U.S.-designated terrorists, officials and beneficiaries of certain authoritarian regimes, and international criminals. The list is managed by the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). When individuals are added to the list of Specially Designated Nationals (SDN), their U.S. assets are blocked. Moreover, their names are added to automated screening systems used by banks in the United States and many foreign countries, making it difficult for them to open or hold accounts, transfer money, or transact properties internationally. Any individual or entity that provides support related to terrorism, drug trafficking or unauthorized military use to any person or entity appearing on the SDN list risks being penalized under the USA PATRIOT Act.
The Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) is a United States federal law that imposed sanctions on Iran, North Korea, and Russia. The bill was passed by the Senate on July 27, 2017, 98–2, after it passed the House 419–3. It was signed into law on August 2, 2017 by President Donald Trump, who nevertheless believed that the legislation was "seriously flawed".
Meng Wanzhou, also known as Cathy Meng and Sabrina Meng, also informally known in China as the "Princess of Huawei", is a Chinese business executive. She is the deputy chair of the board and chief financial officer (CFO) of Huawei, which was founded by her father Ren Zhengfei.
During the crisis in Venezuela, governments of the United States, the European Union, Canada, Mexico, Panama and Switzerland have applied sanctions against Venezuela, as well as against specific government entities and individuals associated with the administration of Nicolás Maduro. The sanctions came in response to repression during the 2014 and the 2017 Venezuelan protests, and activities both during the 2017 Constituent Assembly election and the 2018 presidential election. Analysts, including Diana Roy from the site "Council on foreign relations", have concluded that these sanctions have likely contributed to the existing decline of the Venezuelan economy. According to a 2023 state sponsored poll, 74% of Venezuelans do not support the sanctions.
The Chinese multinational information technology and consumer electronics company Huawei has faced numerous criticisms for various aspects of its operations, particularly in regards to cybersecurity, intellectual property, and human rights violations.
The Entity List is a trade restriction list published by the United States Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), consisting of certain foreign persons, entities, or governments. It is published as Supplement 4 of Part 744 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Entities on the Entity List are subject to U.S. license requirements for the export or transfer of specified items, such as some U.S. technologies. However, U.S. persons or companies are not prohibited from purchasing items from a company on the Entity List. Being included on the Entity List is less severe than being designated a "denied person" and more severe than being placed on the Unverified List (UVL).
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