The search and rescue flying service of the Hong Kong government may encounter hindrances in buying parts to update its hardware and software, now that it is on a United States blacklist, a former commercial pilot says.

In an unprecedented move, the U.S. Department of Commerce on Tuesday put Hong Kong’s Government Flying Service on a new list of Chinese and Russian entities classified as “military end users,” meaning any American company that wants to sell, export or re-export goods to the blacklisted organizations has to get a special license from the U.S. authorities.

It was Washington’s first blacklisting of any Hong Kong government department, the reasons for which were not immediately clear.

Earlier, Apple Daily alleged that on Aug. 23, when mainland Chinese law enforcement intercepted 12 Hong Kong anti-government protesters at sea, the Government Flying Service deployed two aircraft to monitor the operation.

The 12 Hongkongers are under prosecution by mainland authorities for crossing the boundary illegally, with two of them charged with organizing an illegal border crossing.

If the U.S. was to restrict the sales of aircraft parts and other supplies to the Government Flying Service, then the service might run into trouble in looking for equipment to repair its aircraft and update the software system, Jeremy Tam, a democracy advocate who used to be a lawmaker and a Cathay Pacific pilot, told Apple Daily.

The flying agency is operating four types of aircraft, including the Challenger 605 fixed-wing planes built by Canadian company Bombardier Aerospace. The remaining three models are produced by European companies.

In response to the U.S. sanctions, Government Flying Service controller West Wu told state-run media Shenzhen Satellite TV that their current inventory of equipment, aircraft components and parts was sufficient and stable.

The Government Flying Service constantly reviewed the supply and kept in contact with aircraft manufacturers to ensure the fleet could operate effectively to handle daily emergencies, he added.

Wu also said in reply to Apple Daily’s inquiries that the U.S. decision was a “groundless and unreasonable political maneuver” and was “firmly opposed” by the Hong Kong government. He declined to reveal details about the agency’s equipment procurement process.

The U.S. Congress last year passed the Placing Restrictions on Tear Gas Exports and Crowd Control Technology to Hong Kong Act to prohibit American companies from exporting crowd control and anti-riot equipment, including tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets and stun guns, to the city’s police force and auxiliary police force.

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