China Opposes US Sanctions on Chinese Companies Over Trade Secrets Claims

According to China News Service, China's Ministry of Commerce stated on October 20 that China firmly opposes the United States stigmatizing Chinese enterprises and imposing sanctions under the pretext of trade secret theft. The United States sanctioned 5 Chinese enterprises on October 19 under the Protecting American Intellectual Property Act for allegedly stealing trade secrets, a move the ministry spokesperson condemned as hyping the issue and severely harming the lawful rights and interests of Chinese firms. The spokesperson stated that the rapid growth of Chinese artificial intelligence enterprises results from sustained basic research, continuous innovation investment, and combining self-reliance with open cooperation, which benefits both countries and the world rather than involving trade secret theft. China urged the United States to view Chinese business development objectively, stop smearing and suppression, foster fair market competition, and safeguard bilateral economic and trade cooperation, warning that China will adopt necessary measures to defend Chinese enterprises' legitimate rights if the US fails to correct its errors.