US sanctions six Chinese firms over spy balloon incident

The US Department of Commerce on Friday announced sanctions against six Chinese aerospace companies over a Chinese spy balloon that the US military shot down over the weekend after it crossed US airspace.

Six companies were blacklisted as exporters because of their ties to the People’s Liberation Army’s aerospace programs, “including airships and hot air balloons and related materials and components,” according to the agency.

” [People’s Republic of China’s] the use of high-altitude balloons violates our sovereignty and threatens US national security,” said Deputy Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Alan Esteves. “Today’s actions make it clear that organizations seeking to harm US national security and sovereignty will be denied access to US technology.”