Daphne Psaledakis (David Brunnstrom) and Simon Lewis

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The United States imposed severe human rights sanctions against dozens of individuals and entities linked to China, Myanmar and North Korea on Friday. They also added the Chinese artificial intelligence firm SenseTime Group onto an investment blacklist.

Canada and Britain joined the United States when they imposed sanctions in response to the human rights violations in Myanmar. Washington also put the first sanctions against North Korea in President Joe Biden’s administration. In commemoration of Human Rights Day, Washington targeted military personnel in Myanmar.

Wally Adeyemo, Deputy Treasury Secretary, stated in a statement that “our actions today, especially those in partnership avec the United Kingdom, Canada and other countries, sends a signal that democracies all over the globe will act against those abusers of power to inflict suffering or repression.”

China’s Embassy in Washington decried the U.S. action as “serious intervention in China’s internal affairs” AND a “severe breach of basic international relations norms.”

Liu Pengyu (ambassadeur), stated it would “grave damage to China-U.S. Relations” and requested Washington to cancel the decision.

At Monday’s daily briefing, Wang Wenbin spoke out on behalf of the foreign ministry, saying that if America acts in a reckless manner, China will be resolute.”

The North Korean mission to the United Nations, as well as the Washington embassies in Myanmar and Bangladesh were not immediately available for comment.

These sanctions are part of a series that was announced at Biden’s virtual Summit for Democracy. It coincided with his announcements to support pro-democracy legislation and to strengthen democracy all over the globe.

Biden stated Friday that some of the over 100 leaders from around the globe at the summit had made commitments to push back against growing autocracy, combat corruption, and support human rights.

In closing remarks, he stated that “This will help to seed fertile soil for democracy to blossom around the globe.”

On Friday, the Treasury added Chinese artificial intelligence firm SenseTime to a “Chinese Military-industrial Complex Companies” list. It accused it of developing facial recognition software that could identify ethnic Uyghurs and determining a target’s ethnicity.

The company will be subject to an investment ban in the United States. SenseTime is closing in on 1.5 billion shares for an initial public offering. Two sources with knowledge of the matter stated that the company started discussing with Hong Kong’s stock exchange the fate of the $767 million offer after the Treasury restrictions were announced earlier in the week.

Saturday’s statement by SenseTime stated that the company “strongly opposes the designation and the allegations that have been made in relation to it,” and called the accusations “unfounded.”

The company stated that it had complied in all material respects with applicable laws and regulations in connection to its business, in each jurisdiction where they do business.

U.N. specialists and rights organizations estimate that more than a million Uyghurs, mainly members of Muslim minorities, were detained recently in a large system of camps located in China’s far west region of Xinjiang.

China has denied any abuses at Xinjiang but many rights groups and the U.S government claim that Beijing is committing genocide.

MYANMAR NORTH KOREA

Two Myanmar military units and an organisation that supplies military reserves were targeted by the Treasury. The Directorate of Defense Industries, one of the entities targeted, makes weapons for the military and police that have been used in a brutal crackdown on opponents of the military’s Feb. 1 coup.

The Treasury also targeted four regional chief ministers, including Myo Swe Win, who heads the junta’s administration in the Bago region where the Treasury said at least 82 people were killed in a single day in April.

Canada has imposed sanctions on four entities associated with Myanmar’s military government. The United Kingdom has imposed new sanctions against it.

Myanmar fell into chaos after the military overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi’s government and leader on February 1. This triggered daily demonstrations and fighting between military personnel and insurgents at the borderlands.

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners monitor group (AAPP), says that Junta forces have murdered more than 1,300 opposition activists.

Campaign group Global Witness said the measures fell short of targeting Myanmar’s industry, a key source of foreign currency for the junta, and were “unlikely to materially impact the military junta’s bottom line.”

The Treasury also blacklisted North Korea’s Central Public Prosecutors Office, along with the former minister of social security and recently assigned Minister of People’s Armed Forces Ri Yong Gil. A Russian university was also listed as a target for helping North Korea’s workers to be exported.

North Korea long sought to lift the U.S. sanctions on its weapon programs. It has also denounced U.S. critics of its human rights records as proof of hostile policies against it.

The Biden administration repeatedly called North Korea for dialogue about its nuclear and missile program, but without any success.

The U.S. State Department has also blocked 12 officials from entering the United States.