China on Wednesday firmly rejected reported US moves to ban imports of certain Chinese-made optical transceiver modules and impose additional tariffs and price floors on polysilicon and related products, saying such actions abuse national security concepts and harm normal economic and trade ties.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian speaks at a press conference in Beijing. (File photo: VCG)

The remarks come from Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian amid reports that Washington is drafting a ban on imports of new models of Chinese data center components, including optical transceivers, and is also preparing possible tariffs and a price floor on polysilicon, a key material used in both solar panels and semiconductors.

Responding to questions from Reuters and the BBC, the spokesperson said Beijing "firmly opposes the US side's generalization of the concept of national security and its abuse of state power to unreasonably suppress Chinese enterprises."

"Protectionism will not enhance the competitiveness of the US," Lin said, adding that the US approach seriously hinders normal economic and trade exchanges between Chinese and US enterprises and does not serve the interests of any party, including US companies and consumers.

China will continue to firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises, he said.