The US government has added a dozen other Chinese companies to its shortlist, citing national security and foreign policy concerns.

Washington says some companies are helping develop the Chinese military’s quantum computing program.

This latest move comes as tensions between the US and China over the state of Taiwan and other issues rise.

Trade was among the topics discussed at a virtual summit between the leaders of both countries earlier this month.

Eight China-based technology companies have been added to the so-called “Entity List” for their alleged role in assisting the Chinese military’s quantum computing efforts and acquiring or attempting “to acquire US-sourced elements to support applications. military “.

This list of entities was increasingly used for national security purposes by the previous Trump administration.

The US Department of Commerce also said that 16 individuals and entities operating in China and Pakistan were added to the list due to their involvement in Pakistan’s “unsecured nuclear activities or ballistic missile program”.

A total of 27 new entities were added to the list from China, Japan, Pakistan and Singapore.

Separately, the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology was added to the department’s military end-user list, although the list provided no further details other than the production of military equipment.

The new lists will help prevent American technology from supporting the development of “Chinese and Russian military progress and non-proliferation activities such as Pakistan’s unsecured nuclear assets or ballistic missile program,” said Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. in a note.

Potential suppliers of companies on the list will now need to apply for a license before they can sell them, with applications likely to be rejected.

Chinese telecom giant Huawei was added to the list in 2019 for claims that it posed a risk to US national security.

The move cut it off from some of its key suppliers and made it difficult for the company to produce cell phones.

The Chinese government has previously denied taking part in industrial espionage.