China takes countermeasures against six US entities

China imposed on Wednesday countermeasures against six US entities for "assisting and supporting the United States in imposing illegal sanctions related to the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region", the Ministry of Commerce said.

The six entities were placed on China's list of countermeasures, and all organizations and individuals within China are prohibited from engaging in any transactions or cooperation with them, according to an order issued by the ministry. The order took effect upon publication.

The measures came in direct response to the US Department of Homeland Security's announcement last Friday that it had added 43 Chinese entities to the so-called Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List.

The US sanctions, imposed under the pretext of so-called forced labor, seriously violate international law and basic norms governing international relations, and gravely infringe on China's sovereignty, security and development interests, the ministry said.

The six entities are Applied DNA Sciences Inc, Stratum Reservoir LLC, Altana Technologies Inc, Responsible Business Alliance, Verite Inc, and Human Rights in China, it added.