Beijing has retaliated against Washington's latest trade measures with a broad package of restrictions, including export controls on drones and sanctions on six American firms. The announcement, made Wednesday, targets US actions that China says undermine its legitimate interests. Main Developments The commerce ministry's statement detailed several countermeasures: strengthening export controls on drones and their key components and technology to the US, suspending factory follow-up inspections by Chinese certification bodies, and blacklisting US compliance testing companies. Additionally, Beijing launched national security investigations into imports of office printers and copiers. Six US businesses were sanctioned, including biotech firm Applied DNA Sciences and geoscience research company Stratum Reservoir. The ministry accused these entities of assisting and supporting illegal US sanctions related to Xinjiang, describing their actions as egregious. Chinese organisations and individuals are now barred from engaging in transactions or cooperation with them. Read also: Why Disney-TikTok partnership signals streaming's new era The move comes days after the US imposed fresh tariffs on China and 59 other countries, adding to a series of recent trade actions. Washington's measures also included banning imports of humanoid and quadruped robots manufactured abroad, a step China last week accused of seeking to suppress its companies. Background China and the United States spent much of last year embroiled in an escalating trade war, but reached a truce when President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping met in October. That tentative peace is now threatened by the latest US tariffs, which Beijing has warned against as a potential trigger for a new trade war. The sanctions also touch on the contentious issue of Xinjiang, where the UN has warned of possible crimes against humanity targeting the mostly Muslim Uyghur minority. China vehemently denies those accusations and frames its measures as necessary retaliation. Why It Matters These countermeasures signal a hardening of Beijing's stance, moving beyond verbal protests to concrete actions that affect key industries. Export controls on drones could disrupt global supply chains, while sanctions on US firms may deter other companies from cooperating with Washington's policies. The truce brokered in October appears increasingly fragile, raising risks for businesses and economies reliant on stable US-China trade relations. What's Next China's top trade official He Lifeng expressed "serious concern" to US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in a call, according to state news agency Xinhua. Further escalation is possible if Washington does not address Beijing's grievances. The national security investigations into office printers and copiers could lead to additional import restrictions, and the blacklisting of US compliance firms may affect certification processes for Chinese exporters.