China urges U.S. to stop sanctions on Chinese firms over allegedly supporting Russia

BEIJING (Reuters) – China opposes the blacklisting of Chinese firms by the United States and will take the necessary measures to protect them, the commerce ministry said on Thursday.

U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration added five companies in China to a trade blacklist on Tuesday for allegedly supporting Russia’s military and defense industrial base, flexing its muscle to enforce sanctions against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.

China hopes the United States will correct its wrongdoings immediately and stop cracking down on Chinese firms, the ministry spokesperson Shu Jueting said at a regular press conference.

(Reporting by Ellen Zhang and Ryan Woo; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)