Beijing, Aug. 5 -- China on Wednesday unveiled a suite of economic retaliatory measures against the United States, placing six American companies on a sanctions blacklist and tightening export restrictions on drones heading to Washington.

The move follows fresh US trade sanctions linked to forced labour and national security considerations.

The countermeasures were announced after Washington introduced new tariffs targeting Beijing and more than 50 other countries as part of US President Donald Trump's wider trade push, which he argued was necessary to address trade deficits that were "unfair" to Washington.

Hitting back at the measures, a Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesperson stated that the US actions "seriously harm China's legitim...