The US Commerce Department on Thursday added China's state oil giant CNOOC to its blacklist over what it called "belligerent" actions in the disputed South China Sea.
The move was the latest of escalating sanctions against that prompted S&P Dow Jones Indices to remove the company from its stock indices late Wednesday.
"China's reckless and belligerent actions in the South China Sea and its aggressive push to acquire sensitive intellectual property and technology for its militarization efforts are a threat to US national security and the security of the international community," Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said in a statement.