The United States confirmed on Friday it will add dozens of Chinese companies, including the leadinng chipmaker SMIC and Chinese drone manufacturer SZ DJI Technology Co to a trade sanctions list. A U.S. Commerce Department official told reporters on a conference call that the world's biggest drone company DJI was being added to the list. The Commerce Department said it was adding a total of 77 companies and affiliates to the so-called entity list, including 60 Chinese companies. China's foreign ministry said that if true, the sanctions would be evidence of U.S. oppression of Chinese companies and that Beijing would continue to take "necessary measures" to protect their rights. "We urge the U.S. to cease its mistaken behavior of unwarranted oppression of foreign companies," ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a regular news conference in Beijing on Friday.

Source: The Standard December 18, 2020 15:45 UTC