China has censured the new sanctions imposed by the United States against Chinese telecom giant Huawei and accused Washington of “abusing national power” to target Chinese companies.
The US administration on Monday tightened restrictions on Huawei and barred nearly 40 Huawei affiliates from buying American computer chips and other software products.
The US Commerce Department announced in a statement that the new sanctions would prohibit foreign semiconductor companies from selling chips developed or produced using US technology to Huawei without first obtaining a license.
Washington has recently claimed without proof that the telecom giant’s products threaten US national security and are used to spy on Americans for Beijing. The Chinese government and Huawei have repeatedly denied the allegation.
Speaking at a news briefing in Beijing on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Washington had engaged in “abuse of national power to apply all sorts of restrictions on Huawei and other Chinese enterprises.”
Zhao said the sanctions had “completely punctured the last pretense of market principles and fair competition that the US has always touted.”
Calling on the US to “correct its mistakes,” the Chinese diplomat said Beijing would “continue to take necessary measures to protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies.”
Huawei has been under relentless pressure from the US President Donald Trump administration, which has lobbied Washington’s allies across the world to avoid the company’s telecom equipment over “security” concerns.
The White House is reportedly working with US technology companies to create advanced software for 5G telecommunication networks to stymie the rise of China’s Huawei.
Trump has also issued an executive order extending an ultimatum forcing TikTok, a popular Chinese mobile application, to divest its business operations in the United States.