Beijing slams sanctions over S. China Sea construction

The Nandao Island of Xisha Xuande Islands. [Photo/Xinhua]

China said on Thursday that it was unjustified for the United States to impose sanctions on Chinese enterprises and individuals involved in construction in their own country.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian made the remark at a daily news conference after Washington added 24 Chinese companies to its Entity List on Wednesday and imposed visa restrictions on Chinese individuals for their participation in construction and what it called "militarization" in the South China Sea.

The legitimate and lawful construction activities were conducted within China's sovereign territory and have nothing to do with militarization, Zhao said. He added that China will take firm measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of its companies and individuals.

He expressed opposition to the US move, motivated by hegemony and power politics, urging Washington to correct its mistakes and stop interfering in China's internal affairs.

Also on Thursday, Zhao told reporters that the US "buccaneering" move to suppress non-US companies under the guise of national security has already damaged the interests of consumers and companies of various countries, including the US. He added that the move is bound to be opposed and resisted by the international community.

"I noticed that many Chinese people say that if the US does ban WeChat, they will dump their iPhones," Zhao said.

In a survey released on Wednesday by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, 88 percent of respondents expect a negative impact on operations if WeChat cannot be used for communication, with more than a third expecting a loss of global revenue.

The US practice of economic bullying goes against the principles of the market economy and fair competition that the US has always said it supports, tramples on international rules and undermines technological innovation cooperation among countries in the era of globalization, he said.