China said Friday Japan was "harming themselves" with new planned export controls on 23 items used to make semiconductors, following US pressure for countries to restrict Beijing's access to the technology.

"To politicise, instrumentalise and weaponise trade and technology issues is artificially destabilising the global production and supply chain," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said, saying Tokyo was "harming others, but they are also harming themselves at the same time."