China presses Biden to provide ‘fair and nondiscriminatory’ business environment

China on Friday pressed President Biden to provide a “fair and nondiscriminatory” business environment to Chinese companies after the White House expanded a Trump-era order prohibiting investments in certain firms.

The comment comes after Biden signed an executive order aimed at prohibiting investments in Chinese companies that produce or deploy surveillance technology used to repress human rights.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin urged the U.S. to “provide Chinese enterprises with a fair and nondiscriminatory business and investment environment,” according to The Associated Press.

“China will take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises,” he said.

Under Biden’s new order, which takes effect on Aug. 2, 59 firms are subject to the prohibitions and more could be added.

The order expands an executive order signed by former President Trump in November allowing the U.S. to blacklist companies that had connections with Beijing’s military.

Most of the companies in the original order remained on the list.

The AP noted that added companies were manufacturers of satellite equipment, integrated circuits, optical components and satellite communications equipment and software.

The move comes as tensions grow between Washington and Beijing. The White House has been vocal about its concerns over China’s treatment of Muslim-majority Uyghurs and activists in Hong Kong.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and national security adviser Jake Sullivan clashed with Chinese officials in Alaska in March during a meeting in Anchorage.