Four Chinese companies respond to US blacklist

The US government's decision to add four Chinese companies, including chipmaker Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp, to a blacklist suggests Washington's insecurity toward the rise of Chinese companies and will only hurt US investor interests, experts said on Friday.

The comments came after the United States Department of Defense on Thursday alleged that four additional companies are owned or controlled by the Chinese military, including SMIC, oil-and-gas giant CNOOC, China Construction Technology Co Ltd and China International Engineering Consulting Corp.

The move brings the total number of blacklisted Chinese companies to 35. A recent executive order by the US president prevents US investors from buying these companies' securities.