FILE PHOTO: Aides set up platforms before a group photo with members of U.S. and Chinese trade negotiation delegations at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China February 15, 2019. Mark Schiefelbein/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

BEIJING (Reuters) - China’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday that China will continue to take firm and resolute measures to protect its sovereign security, when asked about the U.S. blacklisting of Chinese firms.

The United States should correct its wrong ways and stop interfering in China’s affairs, Geng Shuang, a spokesman at the foreign ministry, said at a regular news briefing.

The U.S. government on Monday expanded its trade blacklist to include some of China’s top artificial intelligence startups, saying it was in reaction to Beijing’s treatment of Muslim minorities. The move ratcheted up tensions ahead of high-level trade talks in Washington this week.

The decision targets 20 Chinese public security bureaus and eight companies including video surveillance firm Hikvision, as well as leaders in facial recognition technology SenseTime Group Ltd and Megvii Technology Ltd.