WASHINGTON – The United States announced sanctions on officials of Chinese state-owned enterprises and military on Thursday and added Chinese oil giant CNOOC to an economic blacklist, accusing them using coercion against states with rival claims in the South China Sea.
The moves by the Trump administration will further increase tensions with China, Washington’s strategic rival in Asia, days before President-elect Joe Biden takes office on Jan. 20.
The United States has long opposed China’s extensive territorial claims on the South China Sea, a potentially resource-rich area that is also a strategic trade route. Washington accuses Beijing of seeking to intimidate other Southeast Asian coastal states such as Vietnam and the Philippines that have competing claims there.