The Ministry of Commerce and China’s customs administration also announced new export controls effective immediately on more than two dozen metal products and related technologies. Those include tungsten, a critical mineral typically used in industrial and defense applications, as well as tellurium, which can be used to make solar cells.
The ministry also said it was adding two American firms — biotech company Illumina and kra22 at fashion retailer PVH Group, owner of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger — to its unreliable entities list, saying they “violated normal market trading principles.”
A Ministry of Commerce spokesperson said Tuesday that it found PVH discriminated against and interfered with the operations of Chinese companies, though the spokesperson failed to provide specifics.
PVH criticized the decision and said it would work with Chinese authorities to resolve the situation.
“We are surprised and deeply disappointed to learn of the decision from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce,” a spokesperson for PVH said in a statement. “In our 20 years of operating in China and proudly serving our consumers, as a matter of policy, PVH maintains strict compliance with all relevant laws and regulations and operates in line with established industry standards and practices.”
