US escalates economic campaign against Cuba and targets China-based suppliers

The Trump administration on Thursday escalated its economic campaign against Cuba, issuing a determination that clears the path for U.S. sanctions on several crucial sectors of the island’s economy while also targeting Chinese-based suppliers to Havana’s military forces.

The sanctions are part of a larger effort by President Donald Trump and his allies to force political change in Havana even as the country continues to grapple with a deepening economic and energy crisis that has suffocated its population.

With the new penalties the State Department is expanding its reach to target new sectors of Cuba’s economy, including electronics, manufacturing, marine and technology.

“Cuba’s ruling elite is hoarding the island’s energy, shipping, and technology resources for its own enrichment, leaving the Cuban people to contend with blackouts, shortages, and a stagnant economy,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement.

In total, eight entities and two individuals were targeted, including China National Electronic Import and Export Company and Beijing H&C Technologies, two China-based companies that the U.S. is accusing of procuring weapons and selling surveillance and security equipment to the Cuban government.

Washington’s campaign against Havana has only accelerated in recent months, with public spats between their representatives at the United Nations and on social media.

Last week, the U.N. General Assembly condemned the U.S. economic embargo of Cuba for the 34th year. But the U.S. campaign to influence the outcome led a number of countries to vote against the resolution or sit out the decision for the first time.

Meanwhile, Trump’s threat in late January to impose tariffs on any country that sells or provides oil to Cuba has made islandwide blackouts even more common, while daily outages in Cuba now surpass 24 hours as the aging grid fails and fuel reserves dwindle.