China Retaliates Against US With Immediate Drone Export Controls and Blacklists Six American Entities

Read, Watch or Listen

On August 5, 2026, China’s Ministry of Commerce issued Announcement No. 34 of 2026, imposing immediate export controls on drones, key drone components, and flight technologies destined for the United States. Under the new policy, all exports to the U.S. involving items listed on China’s Dual-Use Items Export Control List will be subject to strict case-by-case reviews and will no longer qualify for standard license facilitation measures. The retaliatory action follows a series of trade enforcement steps recently taken by Washington. The U.S. government previously enacted bans on Chinese advanced robotics and power converters, imposed new 10 percent to 12.5 percent tariffs on Chinese imports, and added 43 Chinese firms to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List. In addition, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission introduced new regulatory restrictions targeting Chinese technology entities. Alongside the drone export curbs, Beijing placed six American companies and organizations on its official countermeasures list: Applied DNA Sciences, Inc., Stratum Reservoir, LLC, Altana Technologies, Inc., the Responsible Business Alliance, Verite Group, Inc., and Human Rights in China. China’s Ministry of Commerce stated that these six entities assisted and supported illegal U.S. sanctions related to the Xinjiang region. Under the order, organizations and individuals within China are strictly prohibited from engaging in transactions, commercial cooperation, or business activities with any of the listed American entities. Beijing also initiated additional regulatory measures targeting U.S. commercial operations. China suspended factory follow-up inspection collaborations between Chinese certification bodies and U.S. compliance testing companies. Furthermore, the Ministry of Commerce launched national security investigations into imports of office printers and copiers manufactured by U.S. firms. In an official exchange following the announcement, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng spoke directly with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to convey serious concerns regarding Washington’s trade restrictions and tariffs. A spokesperson for China’s Commerce Ministry stated that Beijing was forced to take necessary countermeasures to protect its commercial interests. The ministry urged the U.S. government to immediately revoke its restrictive trade policies and warned that China will enact further countermeasures if Washington imposes additional restrictions. This economic confrontation occurs weeks ahead of a planned summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping scheduled for September 2026.