China has imposed sanctions on several United States defence firms and executives in response to Washington’s recent approval of a major arms sale to Taiwan. The move targets companies involved in supplying weapons to the island, which Beijing considers part of its territory.
The Chinese foreign ministry announced that the measures affect 20 American defence companies and 10 individuals, including senior executives, with penalties ranging from asset freezes within China to bans on business dealings with Chinese entities.
Okay News reports that those sanctioned are also prohibited from entering China, as tensions between Beijing and Washington continue to rise over Taiwan-related issues.
The sanctions follow the United States’ decision to proceed with an $11.1 billion weapons package for Taiwan, the largest such deal to date.
Chinese authorities described the sale as a serious violation of China–US relations, warning that further actions viewed as provocative on Taiwan would attract firm countermeasures, even as the US maintains that it is legally obligated to support Taiwan’s self-defence.
