SHANGHAI – Leading Chinese memory chip maker YMTC said on Saturday that its technology is not for military use after it was added to the Pentagon’s list of entities that help the Chinese military.

Last week, the United States added more than a dozen Chinese companies to a list created by the Defense Department to highlight firms it says are working with Beijing’s military.

In a statement to Reuters, YMTC said: “We have not supplied or been directed by any entity to supply our technology for military use.”

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“YMTC is not owned or controlled by the Chinese military, and (we) reject any allegation that we pose a threat to US national security,” it said.

Being on the list does not result in a ban on activities in the US, but it does prevent participants from contracting with the Department of Defense.

In addition, inclusion could trigger other measures, such as blacklisting by the US Treasury Department, which would greatly limit their business opportunities in the United States.