China rejects US sanctions against companies accused of supplying arms to Cuba

A China today rejected the sanctions imposed by the United States against two Chinese companies accused of supplying Cuba with military equipment and warned that it will take “all necessary measures” to protect the rights and interests of its companies.

“Cooperation between China and Cuba is open and transparent,” said Chinese Foreign Minister Guo Jiakun, who expressed Beijing’s opposition to unilateral sanctions and the extraterritorial application of US measures, at a press conference.

Guo assured that China strongly rejects Washington’s “interference and prejudice” cooperation between the two countries and reiterated Beijing’s support for Cuba in defending its sovereignty and against external interference.

The sanctions, announced on Thursday by the U.S. Treasury Department, target Chinese companies CEIEC and Beijing H&C Technologies, accused by Washington of providing components and military equipment to the Cuban Armed Forces through the local company Duna.

The Chinese spokesman did not respond directly to the charges or specified what measures Beijing could take to protect the sanctioned companies.

The new US sanctions package covers a total of eight entities and two people, due to their alleged links to the Cuban elites, the transport of oil to and from the island and the supply of military material.

The target companies also include four companies linked to the transport of crude oil and derivatives, in addition to Cuban state-owned companies Cubaelectronics and Tecnosime.