China’s Commerce Ministry has called on the US to halt its "wrong practice" of blacklisting foreign-made drone systems, in response to a recent move by US regulators to block the import and sale of Chinese-made drones. The US cited national security concerns as the primary justification for this action.
As part of the crackdown, several prominent Chinese drone manufacturers, including DJI, have been added to the "Covered List," which effectively bans them from the American market. This move intensifies ongoing tensions between the two countries over technology and security issues.
On Monday, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that it was adding China's DJI, Autel, and all foreign-made drones and components to a list of companies considered to pose unacceptable risks to U.S. national security. As a result, the FCC will block approvals for the import or sale of new drone models in the United States.
China has reacted sharply to the US's drone ban, with a spokesperson for the Commerce Ministry calling the move an "abuse of state power" designed to suppress foreign competition.
The spokesperson added, "In recent years, disregarding normal commercial transactions and trade between Chinese and US companies, and ignoring strong appeals from industry in both countries, the US has repeatedly generalized the concept of 'national security' and abused state power to suppress foreign companies, including Chinese enterprises. This is a typical example of market distortion and unilateral bullying."
Beijing has called on the US to promptly reverse the actions, cautioning that it will not stay inactive if the limitations persist. The report indicated that China will implement necessary steps to protect the interests of its businesses. Meanwhile, Adam Welsh, DJI's head of global policy, said that the company is "disappointed" by the action.
