Donald Trump signed an order prohibiting U.S. investments in Chinese firms determined to be owned or controlled by the country’s military, the latest bid by the White House to pressure Beijing over what the president has described as abusive business practices.

China is “increasingly exploiting” U.S. capital for “the development and modernization of its military, intelligence, and other security apparatuses,” posing a threat to the U.S., according to the executive order, signed on Thursday.

Relations between the U.S. and China have deteriorated following the signing of a trade deal early in the year. Trump also has repeatedly vowed to punish Beijing over the coronavirus pandemic, its treatment of Muslim minorities and the crackdown on protesters in Hong Kong. Chinese officials have threatened to retaliate with their own blacklist of U.S. companies.

Top Chinese firms -- including China Mobile Ltd and China Telecom Corp Ltd. -- fell on reports of the impending executive order, which will prohibit U.S. investment firms and pension funds from buying and selling shares of 20 Chinese companies designated by the Pentagon as having military ties earlier this year.