The Chinese government reacted strongly on Friday to the latest round of U.S. sanctions against Cuba, which for the first time directly target two companies from the Asian giant.
The spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Guo Jiakun, rejected the sanctions and stated that Beijing will take all necessary measures to protect the legitimate rights and interests of its companies.
The sanctions, announced on Thursday by the State Department, focus on the island's oil and technology sectors and designate a total of eight entities, two individuals, and identify five vessels as blocked property.
Among the sanctioned firms are CEIEC (China National Electronic Import and Export Company) and Beijing H&C Technologies, which Washington accuses of having supplied military components and surveillance equipment to the Cuban Armed Forces.
"China firmly opposes the interference and sabotage of the United States in the cooperation between China and Cuba," stated Guo Jiakun, who described that relationship as "completely transparent" and legitimate. He also rejected what he termed U.S. "extraterritorial jurisdiction."
The Department of State states that both Chinese companies allegedly funneled the supply of materials to the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba through the Cuban company Sociedad Mercantil Duna S.A., which had already been sanctioned in August of this year for facilitating the import of weapons from China and Russia.
The new measures are based on Executive Order 14404, signed by President Donald Trump on May 1, 2026. It is the first time Washington explicitly designates Chinese companies as part of its pressure campaign on Cuba, which could escalate the conflict to a direct bilateral dimension between the two powers.
The Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, warned that the Trump Administration will not remain idle while the Cuban government allocates the island's resources to its military elite and individuals connected to power benefit from business networks abroad.
The Department of the Treasury also authorized the imposition of sanctions on foreign individuals who operate or have operated in the sectors of electronics, manufacturing, maritime transportation, and technology within the Cuban economy.
CEIEC is not unknown to U.S. authorities. In November 2020, it was already included on the Office of Foreign Assets Control's (OFAC) Specially Designated Nationals list for supporting digital surveillance operations in Venezuela by providing technology comparable to the Chinese online censorship system to the Venezuelan state-owned company CANTV.
Since January 2026, the Trump administration has implemented a maximum pressure strategy on Cuba that includes an oil blockade, escalating sectoral sanctions and threats of military intervention.
China, for its part, has responded with sustained diplomatic and economic support to Cuba. It committed 80 million dollars in aid and 90,000 tons of rice throughout the year, in addition to sending solar panels following the round of sanctions in August.
The tension between both powers regarding Beijing's role on the island escalated in July 2026, when a report from the State Department stated that China operated three out of 18 known signals intelligence facilities in Cuba, an accusation that both Havana and Beijing categorically denied.
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