China Blacklists US Move: ‘Classic Economic Coercion’

Beijing has sharply condemned Washington’s decision to add 43 Chinese firms to a forced-labour blacklist, calling the move a “classic act of economic coercion.” The sanctions, announced Friday, mark the third time this week that the United States has targeted China with new measures. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security expanded its entity list by 30 percent, citing the Uyghur Forced Labour Prevention Act (UFLPA). That law blocks imports from China’s Xinjiang region over allegations of forced labour. The newly added companies operate across sectors ranging from textiles to solar equipment, according to the official statement. China’s commerce ministry said the blacklist is baseless and harms normal trade, vowing to take necessary steps to protect Chinese firms’ rights. The move escalates tensions between the world’s two largest economies, with Beijing urging Washington to stop “politicising trade.”