Donald Trump takes major action against China, bans 59 companies having links with PLA

Before his departure, US President Donald Trump has given another blow to China. The US Ministry of Commerce has announced a ban on 59 Chinese scientific and industrial manufacturing units, including Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC). The US has called these companies a threat to national security and contrary to foreign policy. Earlier as well, the Donald Trump administration has taken many big steps against China.

A statement issued by the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) in the Commerce Department states that 59 companies, including SMIC, have been added to the export-control entity list because of their links with the Chinese military. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said that China has taken advantage of American technology for its military modernization, but it will not happen now. We will take action against every company that is connected to the Chinese Army in any way, he said. 

He added that to ensure that SMIC does not strengthen the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China with American technology, it was necessary to put it in this list.

After this announcement, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that some steps are also being taken to end China's coercion in the South China Sea. He told that the Department of Commerce is also going to put 25 shipbuilding research institutes affiliated to the Shipbuilding Corporation of China in the entity list. Apart from this, action will also be taken on six other organizations which provide research, development and manufacturing support to the People's Liberation Army.

Pompeo said that sanctions will be imposed against four Chinese companies for human rights violations. He said that China should respect all minorities including Uyghur Muslims. America is committed to the protection of human rights and action will be taken against those who violate them, he said. 

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), led by Xi Jinping, has introduced pervasive and far-reaching restrictions on the rights of around 11 million Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang. They are exploited on a large scale and are kept in camps like prisoners.

The Chinese government for years has curtailed the fundamental human rights, especially the freedom of religion of these ethnic minorities.

Any form of expression of Uighur identity, culture, and liberty is treated by the CCP as a threat to its power and is deemed as one of the three evils--separatism, terrorism, and extremism.