US penalises 34 firms with links to China's Uyghur policy, Iran and Russia

In a major crackdown over using the United States originated produce against Uyghur civilians and providing the supply of modern technology to Russia and Iran, President Joe Biden led-US administration sanctioned at least 34 Chinese companies, said Commerce Department on Friday. According to the statement released by the US Commerce Department, all those companies who were sanctioned are involved in activities contrary to the US foreign policy and national security.

Chinese firms play a key role in Uyghurs suppression

The Department further said that fourteen companies that have their headquarters in China were involved in suppressing the Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in the northwest Xinjiang region. It noted that these Chinese firms played a major role in continuing the Beijing "genocide and crimes against humanity." The statement also claimed that at least five companies that were barred from establishing any business with the US organisations, were involved in acquiring lasers and other technology to modernise the Chinese military.

Sanctioned organisations providing technology transfer to Russian military

The statement also added that seven were blacklisted for their involvement with the Russian military while eight organisations were sanctioned for consigning US technology to Iran. The Chinese government since 2017 has detained a million or more people in the northwest province of Xinjiang. Critics accuse China of operating forced labour camps and carrying out torture and forced sterilization there as it allegedly seeks to assimilate Muslim ethnic minority groups.

Biden calls Russian President; asks to crack down on Russian cybercriminals

Earlier on Friday, President Biden, in a conversation with Putin in a phone call said that he must take action against cybercriminals acting in his country and that the US reserves the right to defend its people and its critical infrastructure from future attacks. In his call with Putin, besides reiterating the need for Russia to take action and that the U.S. stands ready to act in response, Biden also “emphasized that he is committed to continued engagement on the broader threat posed by ransomware,” the White House said.

“I made it very clear to him that the United States expects when a ransomware operation is coming from his soil even though it’s not sponsored by the state, we expect them to act if we give them enough information to act on who that is,” Biden said.

(With inputs AP)