Commerce Ministry issues response to U.S.' sanctions

China firmly opposes the United States' placing of certain Chinese entities on its Entity List for export control on the grounds of involving military programs or violating human rights, the country's Ministry of Commerce said on Wednesday.

The U.S. overstretched the concept of national security, abused export control measures and mobilized state power to suppress enterprises and institutions of other countries without any factual basis, the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry added the move is economic coercion and unilateral bullying which seriously damages the legitimate rights of enterprises and undermines the security and stability of the global industrial and supply chains.

The U.S. should immediately correct its wrong practices and stop its unreasonable suppression of Chinese enterprises, the ministry said, adding China will take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard their rights.