China was justified in expressing its disappointment and dissatisfaction on Saturday after the United States retained restrictions on the exporting of satellites and related items to China.

The US decision does a disservice to the cultivation of more balanced trade between the two countries, which in turn will have negative impact on the healthy development of bilateral trade ties.

On Jan 3, US President Barack Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013, which, although it loosens restrictions on US satellite exports, bans the exporting, re-exporting or transferring of satellites to China, as well as the launching of US satellites in Chinese territory.