By Spy Uganda Correspondent
An unspecified number of Pakistani companies have been added to a list of 14 entities put on a US trade blacklist for their alleged involvement in missile and nuclear activities, the media reported.
The US Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) also added 37 entities to its Entity List (blacklist) for allegedly contributing to Russia’s military and/or defence industrial base, supporting China’s military modernization, and facilitating or engaging in human rights abuses in Myanmar and in China.
The list includes a separate category titled, “Ballistic Missile and unsafeguarded Nuclear Activities”.
“We act to stand against proliferators, oppose military aggression in the case of Russia and China’s military modernization, and protect and advance human rights,” US Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves said.
“The US will not allow diversion of peaceful trade in ways that undermine our values and weaken our security. That’s exactly what we are saying today,” added Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Alan F. Estevez.
Eighteen entities based in China were added to the list for acquiring and attempting to acquire US-origin items in support of China’s military modernization efforts, and for supplying or attempting to supply a sanctioned entity in Iran.
Six entities based in China and Myanmar were added for violations of human rights.
The statement claimed that Chinese entities had engaged in the collection and analysis of genetic data, which posed a significant risk of contributing to monitoring and surveillance by the Chinese government, including the targeting, detainment, and repression of ethnic minorities in China as well as diversion of such information to the Chinese military programs.
