The US Department of Commerce has sanctioned a further 29 Chinese shipbuilding-related companies for their purported role in helping China build a chain of artificial islands in the South China Sea.
Twenty-five research institutes of China Shipbuilding Group and four other shipyards were among 77 Chinese entities added to the department’s Entity List, accused of enabling human rights abuses, supporting the militarisation of and unlawful maritime claims in the South China Sea, acquiring US-origin items in support of the People’s Liberation Army’s programmes and engaging in the theft of US trade secrets.
