BEIJING: Beijing Tuesday slammed a US blacklist of 28 Chinese entities allegedly implicated in rights violations of Muslim minorities in the Xinjiang region, saying the claims are "groundless".
"This act seriously violates the basic norms of international relations, interferes with China's internal affairs and damages the interests of the Chinese side, and China expresses its strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to this," said foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang at a press briefing.
The US Department of Commerce said the action constricts the export of items subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to entities that have been implicated in human rights violations and abuses in China's campaign targeting Uighurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region.
"The US Government and Department of Commerce cannot and will not tolerate the brutal suppression of ethnic minorities within China," Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross said.
The entity list identifies persons or organisations reasonably believed to be involved, or to pose a significant risk of being or becoming involved, in activities contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the US.