China's new export controls and sanctions show 'countermeasures framework' has matured

Beijing’s latest export controls and sanctions against American companies show its ‘countermeasures framework and toolkit have come of age’

China’s latest export controls and sanctions against American companies in response to recent US measures underscore Beijing’s expanding economic toolkit and its growing willingness to deploy it, according to analysts.

“The multiple actions that China undertook underscore the breadth and depth of China’s retaliatory toolbox,” said Wendy Cutler, the senior vice-president at the Asia Society Policy Institute.

She added that Beijing’s latest response stood in “sharp contrast” to its “ability and willingness” to retaliate during US President Donald Trump’s first term.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce on Wednesday announced a series of retaliatory measures, including tighter export controls on drones and related technologies, sanctions against seven US companies, and the launch of its first foreign trade-related national security investigation.

“China’s countermeasures have been restrained overall. China values the hard-won stability of China-US economic and trade relations. We hope the US side can work with China in the same direction,” the commerce ministry said in a statement.

The ministry highlighted that the measures were in response to recent US actions, including the sanctioning of 43 Chinese companies under a forced labour law and the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) bans on imports of new Chinese drones, robots, and power inverters.