Under the last two U.S. presidents, one tool has emerged as a favorite in Washington’s efforts to get tough on Chinese companies: the sanctions list.  Whether it’s to restrict sensitive exports, slow China’s military modernization, or to combat human rights abuses, Congress and the executive branch have increasingly leaned on sanctions and red-flag lists to take on the U.S.’s primary strategic rival.  Since the start of the Trump administration, more than 1,200 Chinese en