US blacklists Chinese oil giant CNOOC, adds Skyrizon to Military End User list

Washington [US], January 15 The United States on Thursday (local time) added the Chinese oil giant, CNOOC Limited, to its economic blacklist for helping China intimidate its neighbours in the South China Sea.

The US has also added Chinese company Skyrizon to its Military End-User (MEU) List for "its capability to develop, produce, or maintain military items, such as military aircraft engines."

"The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) in the Department of Commerce (Commerce) added Chinese National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) to the Entity List and Chinese company Skyrizon to the Military End-User (MEU) List," Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said in a statement.

The statement further said that both the compes threatened US national security.

"China's reckless and belligerent actions in the South China Sea and its aggressive push to acquire sensitive intellectual property and technology for its militarization efforts are a threat to US national security and the security of the international community," said Ross.

"CNOOC acts as a bully for the People's Liberation Army to intimidate China's neighbors, and the Chinese military continues to benefit from government civil-military fusion policies for malign purposes," he said.

Speaking on the Skyrizon, Ross said, "Skyrizon--a Chinese state-owned company--and its push to acquire and indigenize foreign military technologies pose a significant threat to U.S. national security and foreign policy interests. This action serves to warn the export community of Skyrizon's significant ties to the People's Liberation Army."

On the two Chinese compes being added to the Entity List, Michael Pompeo, State Secretary, said that the Chinese Communist Party has used CNOOC and other state enterprises as weapons to attempt to enforce Beijing's unlawful "Nine Dashed Line."

"CNOOC used its mammoth survey rig HD-981 off the Paracel islands in 2014 in an attempt to intimidate Vietnam. CNOOC's then-chief executive touted that oil rig as 'mobile national territory'," he said.

While emphasising the US' support to the Southeast Asian claimant states seeking to defend their sovereign rights and interests, consistent with the international law, Pompeo said, "We will continue to act until we see Beijing cease its coercive behavior in the South China Sea."

( With inputs from ANI )