Several American defence contractors, British aerospace giant BAE Systems and Canada-based semiconductor intelligence provider TechInsights -- and its affiliates in Europe, Japan and South Korea -- were among the firms added to the country's "Unreliable Entities List", the Ministry of Commerce announced.

The Halifax International Security Forum, an annual gathering of government and military officials along with academics in Canada, was among the institutions targeted.

The companies are prohibited from import and export activities or making new investments in China, the ministry said.

Chinese organisations and individuals are also barred from working with and sharing sensitive information with the sanctioned firms.

A ministry spokesperson said in a separate statement Thursday that some entities had engaged in "so-called military-technical cooperation with Taiwan", made "vile remarks about China", and helped foreign governments suppress Chinese companies.

The actions "seriously damaged China's national sovereignty, security and development interests", the statement added.

In January, Beijing sanctioned 10 US defence firms over arms sales to Taiwan.

China claims the self-ruled island as part of its territory and has said it will not renounce using force to bring it under its control.