China on Thursday announced a decision to place three U.S. firms on its export control list, citing the need to safeguard national security and interests and to fulfill international obligations such as non-proliferation, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
The entities named are Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc., Planate Management Group, and Global Dimensions LLC.
The decision was made in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations of China, including the country's export control law and the export control regulation for dual-use items, said a statement of the ministry.
The decision, effective immediately, bans the export of dual-use items to these three entities, and no exporter may violate the aforementioned rules, the statement cited a spokesperson with the ministry as saying.
In exceptional circumstances, where any export is indeed necessary, the exporter shall submit an application to the Ministry of Commerce for approval, according to the statement.
China adds three US firms to export control list
Year-end box office revenues in China are strong, with sales and pre-sales for screenings between Nov 28 and Dec 31 exceeding 4 billion yuan (about 570 million U.S. dollars) by 22:45 on Thursday, according to online platform data.
The strong performance in the year-end season has been driven by high-quality moviemaking and a broad selection of movies, with more than 50 films scheduled for release during the period, covering suspense, drama, action and science fiction.
Among domestic productions, war drama "Gezhi Town", which tells the little-known story of civilians in a remote mountain town in central China defending their home against Japanese aggression back in the late 1930s, has raked in over 330 million yuan (about 46.87 million U.S. dollars) at the box office, including previews and pre-sales.
Several other domestic titles, including suspense films "The Fire Raven" and "Escape from the Outland" as well as the fantasy time-travel adaptation "Back to the Past," are set to be released on Dec 31, offering audiences many different options for New Year's Eve.
On the imported film front, "Avatar: Fire and Ash," the third installment of the franchise which features new adventures and upgraded 3D visuals, will hit Chinese theaters on Dec 19.
Another import, "Zootopia 2," has already grossed over 3.6 billion yuan (about 511 million U.S. dollars) in China, surpassing its North American earnings and making China the film's top-grossing market worldwide.
China's year-end box office revenues surpass 4 billion yuan
