In a significant move, the United States announced sanctions and restrictions on two dozen Chinese companies as well as associated officials for their role in helping the Chinese military construct and militarize the “internationally condemned artificial islands” in the South China Sea.
The move was the latest step in the United States’ efforts to pressure China over its military buildup in areas of the South China Sea where sovereignty is contested by several countries.
The US Commerce Department said the companies “enabled China to construct and militarize disputed outposts in the South China Sea.”
“Since 2013, the CCP (Communist Chinese Party) has dredged and constructed more than 3,000 acres across seven features in the South China Sea, which include air defense and anti-ship missile features,” the department added.
