The Donald Trump administration is blacklisting two more Chinese companies at the last minute. These are China's top chip maker SMIC and fuel oil and gas producer CNOOC.

The U.S. administration has sought to blacklist the two organizations as "suspicious" Chinese military installations. The news agency Reuters quoted a document and a source as saying.

The two organizations will be blacklisted before newly elected US President Joe Biden takes office. The move would block US investors from investing in the two companies. At the same time it will increase Beijing-Washington tensions.

Earlier, Reuters reported that the US Department of Defense could blacklist four other organizations owned or controlled by the Chinese military. If that is the case, the number of Chinese companies blacklisted in the US will stand at 35. According to a recent executive order issued by President Donald Trump, U.S. investors will no longer be able to buy security equipment from these blacklisted entities from next year.

Meanwhile, Reuters quoted three US administration sources as saying that in the meantime, China's Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) are set to become two new entities. However, it has not been confirmed when these two companies will be blacklisted. Added to the list are China Construction Technology Company Limited (CCT) and China International Engineering Consulting Corporation (CIEC).

In this regard, SMIC said, they will be freely and constructively associated with the US government. Their products and services are completely civilian and commercial. In a statement, the company said: "The company has no ties to the Chinese military. The company does not produce any military products.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told Reuters that China hoped the United States would not discriminate against Chinese companies in a way that would disrupt cooperation.

No comment was received from the US Department of Defense or the Chinese embassy in Washington.