China imposes export restrictions on 10 US defence firms in retaliation move

China has announced export restrictions on 10 US military-related companies, escalating ongoing trade and security tensions between the two global powers.

According to China’s Ministry of Commerce, the targeted firms have been placed under controls on “dual-use” exports—goods and technologies that can be used for both civilian and military purposes. The ministry said the decision was taken to safeguard China’s national security and to respond to what it described as the United States’ “unwarranted expansion” of its military-linked entity list.

Officials in Beijing stated that the move is a direct countermeasure to recent US actions against Chinese technology and defence-linked companies. Earlier this month, the US Department of Defense added major Chinese corporations, including Alibaba, BYD, and Baidu, to its list of firms allegedly connected to China’s military apparatus.

Chinese authorities criticised the US decision, arguing that such listings are politically motivated and undermine normal economic cooperation. They said the latest restrictions aim to ensure that sensitive technologies do not contribute to activities that could threaten national security interests.

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The affected American companies have not yet issued detailed public responses, but the restrictions are expected to impact trade in specialised defence and high-tech components that fall under dual-use classification. Analysts say such measures could further strain already fragile US–China economic relations, particularly in the fields of technology, defence manufacturing, and critical supply chains.

The development comes amid growing geopolitical competition between Washington and Beijing, where both countries have increasingly used export controls, sanctions, and entity listings as strategic tools.

Experts warn that continued tit-for-tat restrictions may deepen technological decoupling between the world’s two largest economies, potentially affecting global supply chains and defence industry collaboration.