(Molly Bruns, Headline USA) The U.S. government is in the process of sanctioning several Chinese aerospace companies over their alleged involvement in the recent rash of spy balloons floating through American airspace.
“The PRC’s [People’s Republic of China] use of high-altitude balloons violates our sovereignty and threatens U.S. national security,” Alan Estevez, undersecretary of commerce for industry and security for the Commerce Department, said in a statement. “Today’s action makes clear that entities that seek to harm U.S. national security and sovereignty will be cut off from accessing U.S. technologies.”
According to the Daily Wire, there are six companies being placed on the Entity List: Beijing Nanjiang Aerospace Techonogy, China Electronics Technology Group Corporation 48th Research Institute, Dongguan Lingkong Remote Sensing Technology, Eagles Men Aviation Science and Technology Group, Shanxi Eagles Men Aviation Science and Technology Group, and Guangzhou Tian-Hai-Xiang Aviation Technology.
Several of the companies have a history of working with the Chinese military, and one of them specialized in creating stratospheric airships.
“The Commerce Department will not hesitate to continue to use the Entity List and our other regulatory and enforcement tools to protect U.S. national security and sovereignty,” Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves said.
Government officials are arguing that these steps will make it more difficult for Chinese companies to manufacture and launch spy balloons.
“Today’s action demonstrates our concerted efforts to identify and disrupt the PRC’s use of surveillance balloons, which have violated the airspace of the United States and more than forty countries,” said Matthew Axelrod, who works in the Commerce Department.
The sanctions follow the shooting down of a second object over Alaska, just a week after the first spy balloon was spotted.
The recent object was flying around 40,000 feet, which effected the flight patterns of civilian aircraft.
“We have no further details about the object at this time, including any description of its capabilities, purpose, or origin,” said Pentagon spokesperson Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder. “The object was about the size of a small car, so not similar in size or shape to the high-altitude surveillance balloon that was taken down off the coast of South Carolina.”
 The U.S. government is in the process of sanctioning several Chinese aerospace companies over their alleged involvement in the recent rash of spy balloons floating through American airspace.){kind=link}