Beijing slams US sanctions on Chinese companies

Beijing has denounced US sanctions imposed on four Chinese companies and one individual last week for allegedly breaching a US law designed to hamper the development of weapons of mass destruction by Iran, North Korea or Syria.

The companies included Poly Technologies, a subsidiary of China Poly Group - a central government-administered state enterprise originally founded by the People's Liberation Army.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the US had imposed the sanctions according to US law, which violated norms governing international relations and harmed China's interests.

"China is strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposed to this act, and it has lodged a solemn representation to the US side," Hua said.

She said the US should develop ties with China based on equality and mutual benefit, and advance bilateral co-operation on non-proliferation matters.

"We call on the US to immediately correct the wrongdoing, lift the groundless sanctions," she said. "The US should also stop actions that will hurt China's interests and Sino-US relations."

The others hit with sanctions were BST Technology and Trade, China Precision Machinery Import and Export, Dalian Sunny Industries and Li Fangwei, who had his assets under US jurisdiction frozen in 2009.

The sanctions mean that no US government department or agency may enter into procurement contracts with the companies or assist them. They will also not be given new licences for the export of items controlled by export regulations.

Poly Technologies issued a statement yesterday saying it had never helped any countries or regions develop banned weapons.