China unveils retaliatory trade measures against U.S.

China has announced a series of retaliatory measures against the United States, including tighter export controls on drones and sanctions against six American companies, following Washington's latest trade restrictions linked to national security and allegations of forced labour.

The announcement comes shortly after the United States introduced new tariffs on Chinese goods, along with products from dozens of other countries, escalating trade tensions between the world's two largest economies.

In a statement, China's Ministry of Commerce accused Washington of undermining Beijing's legitimate economic interests and said the country was compelled to respond with what it described as "necessary countermeasures."

Among the measures are stricter controls on the export of drones, as well as key drone technologies and components destined for the US. China also announced the suspension of certain factory inspections conducted by domestic certification agencies, blacklisted several US compliance testing firms, and launched national security reviews into imports of office printers and photocopiers.

Additionally, six American companies, including biotechnology firm Applied DNA Sciences and geoscience company Stratum Reservoir, have been placed on China's sanctions list. Chinese organisations and individuals will be prohibited from conducting business or engaging in other forms of cooperation with the affected entities.

According to the Commerce Ministry, the companies were targeted for allegedly supporting US sanctions related to China's Xinjiang region, which Beijing says are unlawful.

The latest developments follow continued criticism from the United States over alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang involving the Uyghur minority, claims that China has consistently rejected.

China's Vice Premier He Lifeng also raised concerns over the latest US trade actions during a recent discussion with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, according to Chinese state media.

Trade relations between Beijing and Washington had shown signs of improvement after a 2025 agreement between Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump eased an escalating tariff dispute.

However, the latest round of US trade measures has renewed uncertainty, with China warning against further escalation of the trade conflict.