On October 21, the U.S. Department of Commerce added 26 entities to its trade blacklist, including six companies from China. These companies have been accused of supporting weapons and drone development programs in Pakistan and Iran, as well as contributing to China’s military modernization efforts.
According to reports by AFP and the South China Morning Post, the six Chinese companies on this list are Beijing Moke Innovation Technology Co., Ltd., Hong Kong Little Leopard Electronics Co., Ltd., Shenzhen Dragonfly Supply Chain Co., Ltd., Ditei Technology (Hong Kong), Shenzhen Jiachuang Weiye Technology Co., Ltd., and L-Tong Electronic Technology.
The addition of Beijing Moke Innovation Technology was attributed to its procurement of American-origin aviation simulation technology to support China’s military advancements. Little Leopard Electronics has been highlighted for repeatedly employing “delays and evasions” during end-use checks while providing information to the Department of Commerce. Shenzhen Dragonfly Supply Chain Co., Ltd., closely linked to Little Leopard Electronics, was also included in the blacklist.
The other three companies were blacklisted for procuring or attempting to procure U.S.-origin goods for Iran’s development of weapons of mass destruction and drones.
The Assistant Secretary for Export Administration, Thea Rozman Kendler, emphasized the department’s commitment to severing ties with entities attempting to evade regulations and engage in actions that threaten U.S. national security.
The updated list also includes 16 entities from Pakistan, three from the United Arab Emirates, and one from Egypt. Among the Pakistani entities, nine are reportedly accused of serving as front companies or procurement agents for the already blacklisted Advanced Engineering Research Organization.
Additionally, the Department of Commerce noted that the three entities from the UAE and the one from Egypt are said to have obtained or attempted to obtain U.S. components to circumvent sanctions imposed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Furthermore, the department removed two companies from the blacklist, including the Canadian networking equipment firm Sandvine and the Chinese firm Hefei Baolongdadu Information Technology Company, which has reportedly been dissolved.
Hefei Baolongdadu Information Technology, based in Anhui Province, is a computer parts manufacturer that was added to the blacklist in 2020 for allegedly facilitating forced labor involving Uyghurs and other Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang.
