In response, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Commerce called the move “extremely malicious,” adding that the country would “take necessary measures” to protect the rights and interests of its companies. “Beijing urges Washington to immediately correct its wrongdoing and stop its unreasonable suppression of Chinese companies,” the spokesperson said. The curbs mark a fresh attempt by Washington to tighten restrictions already imposed on over a thousand of Chinese firms, which the Commerce Department deemed a risk to US national security or foreign policy interests. While the rule change does not specifically single out China, Chinese and Russian entities dominate the so-called ‘entity list,’ primarily for aiding their nations’ military technology advancements. In an example cited in the report, Huawei sold its smartphone brand Honor to a consortium that included the Chinese government in 2020, after it was added to the entity list.