U.S. imposes sanctions on Chinese individuals over South China Sea

Jinqing Island of Yongle Islands, located in the Xisha Islands, in south China's Hainan Province. /Xinhua

The United States on Thursday announced visa restrictions on executives of state-owned enterprises and officials of the Communist Party of China and People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, accusing them of being "responsible for, or complicit in the large-scale reclamation, construction, or militarization of disputed outposts in the South China Sea."

On the same day, the U.S. Defense Department added nine more Chinese firms to a blacklist that it says have ties with the Chinese military. The firms include smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi and the state-owned planemaker Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China.

The U.S. has imposed sanctions several times on China in connection with the South China Sea. Last December, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said over the past four years, the U.S., led by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, has been weaponizing its visa policy to impose various visa sanctions on Chinese individuals.

"It severely interferes in China's internal affairs, impedes regular people-to-people exchange, and undercuts China-U.S. relations. China firmly rejects and strongly condemns it," added Wang.