China on Friday criticized the latest United States blacklisting of nine Chinese companies, vowing to take necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of its enterprises and support them in safeguarding their own rights and interests in accordance with the law.
The companies, including smartphone maker Xiaomi and State-owned plane manufacturer Commercial Aircraft Corp of China, were classified as "Communist Chinese military companies" by the US Department of Defense on Thursday.
China firmly opposes the US President Donald Trump administration's abuse of national power to launch unjustified crackdowns on Chinese companies, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said at a daily news briefing.
Zhao said some US multinational companies can be categorized as "military-civil fusions", as their business operations and products cover both areas.
"The latest measures again displayed unilateralism, double standards and bullying," he said.
The US action violated the country's self-professed image of championing market competition and international trade rules, interrupted normal trade and investment cooperation between China and the US and dampened foreign investor confidence in the US,Zhao said.
It will end up in damaging the interests of US enterprises and investors, he added.
"This is another example of some US individuals' practice of bringing no good to anyone," he said.
Also on Friday, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce urged the US to revoke the decision and create a good environment for Chinese and US companies to carry out normal trade cooperation.
The US restrictions on the companies have no basis, ignore procedural justice, violate basic rules of the market economy and disrupt international financial market order, the spokesperson said in a statement.
