BEIJING: China has sanctioned 10 US defence firms on Thursday over arms sales to Taiwan. The Ministry of Commerce, People’s Republic of China announced that companies including subsidiaries of Lockhead Martin, General Dynamics, and Raytheon that sold arms to Taiwan were added to China’s “Unreliable Entities List.”
These companies will be prohibited from import and export activities or making any new investments in China, also there will be a ban on the company’ managers to enter China, the Ministry of Commerce added.
In the previous week, 7 US military-industrial companies, including Boeing subsidiary Insitu, were also sanctioned by the People’s Republic of China.
Taiwan is a self-ruled island which is the main point of contention between China and the United States.
China has always claimed that Taiwan is a part of the People’s Republic of China and has asserted many times that they will use their force to bring it under their control.
The United States doesn’t recognise Taiwan (Republic of China) diplomatically but supports it as an ally and is the largest supplier of arms to the Island nation.
In December 2024, US President Joe Biden agreed to provide $571.3 million for defense support to Taiwan.
The actions “interfere in China’s internal affairs, and undermine China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said at a regular press conference last Friday.
China has strategically put pressure on Taiwan in recent years by performing various military drills in Taiwan’s ADIZ.
General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and Boeing Defence, Space & Security were among those added “to safeguard national security and interests, and fulfil international obligations such as non-proliferation”, the ministry said.
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