Beijing sanctioned on Thursday 14 overseas entities, including defence contractors and intelligence firms, accusing them of harming national security and aiding Taiwan.

Several American defence contractors, British aerospace giant BAE Systems and Canada-based semiconductor intelligence provider TechInsights -- and its affiliates in Europe, Japan and South Korea -- were among the firms added to the country's "Unreliable Entities List", the Ministry of Commerce announced.

The Halifax International Security Forum, an annual gathering of government and military officials along with academics in Canada, was among the institutions targeted.

The companies are prohibited from import and export activities or making new investments in China, the ministry said.

Chinese organisations and individua

See Full Page