China Sanctions 10 US Defense, Rare Earth Firms Over Pentagon Blacklist

Lockheed Martin showcases advanced capabilities at World Defense Show in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat) 
Lockheed Martin showcases advanced capabilities at World Defense Show in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat) 
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China Sanctions 10 US Defense, Rare Earth Firms Over Pentagon Blacklist

Lockheed Martin showcases advanced capabilities at World Defense Show in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat) 
Lockheed Martin showcases advanced capabilities at World Defense Show in Riyadh. (Asharq Al-Awsat) 

China imposed export controls on 10 US companies involved in defense and rare earths mining in response to Washington's blacklist of Chinese firms, Beijing said on Monday.

Also, exporters are prohibited from providing dual-use items to the listed entities, China's commerce ministry said, adding that “any relevant export activities currently underway must cease immediately.”

The move comes a month after US President Donald Trump visited Beijing, seeking to stabilize fraught relations during talks with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

Although the countries agreed to work towards reducing tariffs, ties have since been tested as both sides stunt the other in tech and defense.

Washington released a new blacklist this month of 80 companies and their subsidiaries it said were aiding the Chinese military.

China's new export controls come “in response to the US government's egregious act of adding to its so-called 'Chinese military enterprise list,’” the commerce ministry said in a statement, adding the move was also to “safeguard national security.”

The 10 entities include Aveox, which holds aerospace defense contracts with the US military, and Oshkosh Defense, which produces military vehicle fleets.

It also lists US rare earths producers MP Materials and USA Rare Earth.

China's finance ministry simultaneously announced a ban on agencies involved in public procurement from buying products made by 46 US firms, including Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and Boeing's defense division.

Companies with US investments operating in China are excluded, according to a statement from the finance ministry, which said measures would take effect from Monday.

The list of companies and their subsidiaries that Washington blacklisted this month include Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, internet search provider Baidu, and automakers BYD and NIO.

 



US Says It Disrupted Chinese Hacking Campaign that Broke into Top Govt Bodies

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on May 14, 2026 (AP) 
US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on May 14, 2026 (AP) 
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US Says It Disrupted Chinese Hacking Campaign that Broke into Top Govt Bodies

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on May 14, 2026 (AP) 
US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on May 14, 2026 (AP) 

The US said on Wednesday it had disrupted a Chinese hacking operation ‌responsible for break-ins and attempts on the Justice Department, NASA, the Federal Reserve, the Senate, and other sensitive government agencies.

In a statement, the Justice Department said it had seized domains used by two hacking platforms, dubbed QScan and QTRouter, which it said had been used as part of the campaign.

An affidavit identified the US Department of Energy, Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institutes of Health, and four unnamed companies in the US and South Korea as being among the hackers' victims.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington said in an email that while they were not familiar with ⁠the specifics mentioned in the DOJ statement, the “Chinese government firmly opposes and combats all forms of cyberattacks in accordance with the law.”

The Justice Department said the platforms were run by a China-based firm, the Nanjing Xinjiuwei Network Technology Company, whose clients it said included China's civilian intelligence agency, the Ministry of State Security, and its military, the People’s Liberation Army.

The affidavit said the hackers used tools they developed to compromise critical infrastructure and other sensitive networks in the US and worldwide since at least 2018.

Experts who follow Chinese cyber activity say private contractors routinely carry out high-profile intrusions on behalf of various Chinese government agencies.

“Over the last decade, the number of companies offering niche offensive services has exploded,” said Dakota Cary, a China analyst with cybersecurity company SentinelOne.

Separately, the US on Wednesday said it has “significant concerns” over the case of Chinese artist Gao Zhen, a critic of former leader Mao Zedong.

The Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) group told AFP news agency on Wednesday that Gao was sentenced to three years in prison – the maximum sentence for that crime – at Sanhe City Court in China’s northern Hebei province.

Zhen, 70, who moved to the United States in 2022, was detained at his studio on the outskirts of Beijing during a visit to China in August 2024.

“We have significant concerns regarding the case, against Gao Zhen, which we note was in connection with alleged actions taken years prior to the enactment of the law ⁠under which he was convicted,” a State Department spokesperson told Reuters in an emailed statement.


Spain Requests Emergency Funds to Manage Migration Crisis in Ceuta

Spain has formally asked the European Commission to unlock emergency funding aimed at addressing the migration crisis in Ceuta (EPA) 
Spain has formally asked the European Commission to unlock emergency funding aimed at addressing the migration crisis in Ceuta (EPA) 
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Spain Requests Emergency Funds to Manage Migration Crisis in Ceuta

Spain has formally asked the European Commission to unlock emergency funding aimed at addressing the migration crisis in Ceuta (EPA) 
Spain has formally asked the European Commission to unlock emergency funding aimed at addressing the migration crisis in Ceuta (EPA) 

Spain has formally asked the European Commission to unlock emergency funding aimed at addressing the migration crisis in Ceuta, the Commission’s spokesperson for Home Affairs Markus Lammert said.

Lammert said that while there is no fixed deadline for a decision on Spain's formal emergency funding request, the Commission is treating the assessment as a top priority to ensure a swift response, according to Bloomberg.

The spokesperson noted that the request includes measures to strengthen border protection and related infrastructure, as well as to ensure sufficient reception capacity for migrants, including unaccompanied minors.

“We have now, namely yesterday, received a formal request for emergency funding, and we are now working on assessing their request as a priority and with a view to taking a swift decision,” the spokesman told a daily news briefing in Brussels.

Last month, tens of thousands of illegal migrants crossed the border of the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in northern Morocco in an attempt to illegally migrate to Spain.

Lammert added that the Commission had maintained close contact with Spanish authorities since the beginning of the crisis and would now assess Spain’s needs before determining the amount of funding it could provide.

The Spanish funding request is part of the Emergency Assistance (EMAS) under the European Union's Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (FAMI). The system grants high pre-financing rates—frequently up to 80% of the EU contribution—allowing member states or beneficiary authorities to deploy liquidity quickly before final project costs are audited and settled.

When the migration crisis broke out, Brussels had indicated that Spain could draw on the EU’s FAMI fund to help cover reception and assistance costs. However, access to the emergency resources required a formal request from the Spanish government.

With Madrid’s request now officially submitted on August 24, the Commission will assess the situation and determine the level of assistance that can be released.

The Spanish Minister of Migration, Elma Saiz, explained on August 18 that she had already submitted the request for these funds, although at that time the Commission pointed out that until then only “informal contacts” had taken place and that, once there was a “formal request,” priority would be given to analyzing the financial needs of Ceuta “to be able to be very quick” and transfer the money to Spain as soon as possible.

 

 

 

 


US Media: CIA Director Warned Russia Not to Attack NATO Members

CIA Director John Ratcliffe was one of the highest-ranking US officials to visit Russia since its war with Ukraine started in 2022. SAUL LOEB / AFP
CIA Director John Ratcliffe was one of the highest-ranking US officials to visit Russia since its war with Ukraine started in 2022. SAUL LOEB / AFP
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US Media: CIA Director Warned Russia Not to Attack NATO Members

CIA Director John Ratcliffe was one of the highest-ranking US officials to visit Russia since its war with Ukraine started in 2022. SAUL LOEB / AFP
CIA Director John Ratcliffe was one of the highest-ranking US officials to visit Russia since its war with Ukraine started in 2022. SAUL LOEB / AFP

A highly unusual trip by the CIA director to Moscow this week was to warn Russia against any attack on NATO member states, US media reported Wednesday, after President Donald Trump sought to downplay the visit.

The Wall Street Journal and CBS News reported CIA Director John Ratcliffe aimed to dissuade Russia from attacking NATO members amid US intelligence assessments that Moscow could seek to test the alliance.

The Journal specified that Putin could test the North Atlantic Treaty Organization with a "limited assault" in the next few years.

The White House did not respond to multiple AFP requests for comment on the matter, and Trump said Ratcliffe's visit to Moscow on Tuesday was "semi-routine," implying that the intelligence chief was in the Russian capital to discuss the Ukraine war.

"He's there, very sort of semi-routine. I hate to disappoint people. We would like to see the war with Ukraine end," Trump said in an interview with conservative radio host Glenn Beck.

Ratcliffe is one of the highest-ranking US officials to visit Russia since its war with Ukraine started in 2022.

His visit came amid an escalation in Moscow's offensive in Ukraine, with attacks this summer increasing the civilian death toll, while US-brokered peace talks have stalled.

During his visit, Ratcliffe also discussed the war with Iran, warning of additional sanctions if the Strait of Hormuz doesn't reopen to shipping traffic, CBS News reported, citing multiple people familiar with the matter.

- 'Contacts' -

The Kremlin said Wednesday that Ratcliffe had "contacts" with Russia's special services on his visit to Moscow but did not meet President Vladimir Putin.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin was briefed on the talks but refused to say whether the Ukraine war was raised.

"Contacts through the intelligence services are a positive development in and of themselves. It is too early to say how this will affect the process of resolving the crisis in our relations," Peskov said.

The last time a CIA director visited Moscow was in November 2021 -- when William Burns warned Russia against sending troops into Ukraine. Weeks later, the Kremlin launched its attack that turned into Europe's worst conflict since World War II.

The CIA has also been involved in prisoner swap deals with Russia, including a major exchange in mid-2024.

The war in Ukraine has killed hundreds of thousands and the Kremlin has refused to ease its maximalist demands of seizing the rest of eastern Ukraine and keeping Crimea.

Trump dismissed suggestions that Ratcliffe was discussing other issues such as Russia testing the resolve of NATO or the US campaign to ramp up economic pressure on Iran.

"He is not in there for any of the things that you said, now something may come out, you know, out of it," Trump told Beck.

"We're working very hard to get that war ended, and frankly, they both want to see it ended at this point," the US president said.