China accuses the United States of attacking companies after restricting exports that a minority was forced to supply.

China on Friday accused Washington  of improperly attacking Chinese companies after genomics giant BGI Group and 17 other companies restricted access to US technology for security or human rights reasons' male. 

 

 The Commerce Department says it sees a danger that the two BGI units could contribute to the government's surveillance apparatus, which human rights groups say is trying to create a database of DNA samples that people could not access. Muslims and other minorities have been forced to supply. 

 

 Other companies have been cited for their roles in modernizing the ruling Communist Party's military  or in developing Iranian and Pakistani weapons  and for alleged human rights abuses in Myanmar. 

 

 Washington has accused China of trying to use civilian companies to obtain microprocessors, aerospace and other technologies that can be used to make weapons. Beijing countered that the U.S.The S. government is trying to keep out potential business rivals. 

 

 The United States is "making up pretexts to suppress Chinese companies," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning. She called on Washington to "abandon ideological biases" and "stop abusing various pretexts to unreasonably suppress Chinese companies." Mao said Beijing would "resolutely defend the legal rights" of its companies, but gave no indication of the possibility of retaliation.The government has made similar statements following previous US restrictions, but has generally taken no action. 

 

 BGI Research and Technology Solutions  Co., Ltd (Hong Kong)was added to an "entity list" that required them to obtain government permission to obtain sensitive US technology. 

 

 Their DNA analysis "has the potential to contribute significantly" to the surveillance and suppression of minority groups, the Commerce Department said. He said there was a "significant risk of appropriation" of military programs.

 

 BGI Group did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

 

 BGI has previously denied that it provided technology to spy on Uighurs and other Muslim minorities in northwest China. 

 

 Beijing retaliated to previous US restrictions by creating its own "unreliable entities" list of foreign companies that could jeopardize national sovereignty, security, and safety. security or development interests of China.Lockheed Martin's Raytheon Missile and Defense Units. and Raytheon Technologies Corp. was added to the shortlist last month after supplying arms to Taiwan, the democratic island that Beijing claims as part of its territory. They are prohibited from importing goods into China or making new investments in the country.