China blacklists Turkish-owned US aerospace titan Sierra Nevada

The Chinese government has placed Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC), a U.S.-based aerospace and defense company owned by Turkish entrepreneurs Fatih and Eren Ozmen, on its “unreliable entities list” as part of escalating retaliatory measures against the United States.

The decision, announced Wednesday by China’s Ministry of Commerce, came in response to the latest round of tit-for-tat tariffs between Beijing and Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump recently increased tariffs on Chinese goods to 104%, while China raised levies on U.S. imports to 84%.

In addition to SNC, the blacklist includes Shield AI, Cyberlux Corporation, Edge Autonomy Operations LLC, Group W, and Hudson Technologies Co.

According to a spokesperson from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, the blacklisted companies were sanctioned for allegedly participating in arms sales to Taiwan or engaging in military technology cooperation with the island, actions China claims undermine its national sovereignty, security, and development interests.

China’s “Unreliable Entities List” is a regulatory tool introduced in 2019 by the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) to target foreign companies, organizations, or individuals that are deemed to endanger China’s national sovereignty, security, or development interests. Being on the list can result in trade restrictions, investment bans, license revocations, asset freezes, and other penalties that significantly limit a company’s ability to operate in or with China.

Over 500 successful space missions

This is not the first time Sierra Nevada Corporation has faced Chinese sanctions. On Sept. 18, 2024, Beijing froze all of the company’s assets in China, citing its involvement in arms deals with Taiwan.

Founded in 1963 by John Chisholm in a hangar at Reno Stead Airport, SNC was acquired in 1994 by Fatih and Eren Ozmen, both former employees of the company. Under their leadership, the firm has grown into a multibillion-dollar enterprise with more than 4,000 employees.

Sierra Nevada Corporation is best known for its contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense and NASA. As of October 2020, it had contributed to over 500 successful space missions, including 14 to Mars.