China Sanctions 5 US Arms Manufacturers Over Taiwan Arms Sales

A foreign ministry official said on Sunday that China will blacklist five US military manufacturers in reaction to the latest round of US arms sales to Taiwan.

Arms shipments by the United States to Taiwan are a common subject of contention between Washington and Beijing. China considers democratically controlled Taiwan to be its territory, which Taiwan’s government denies.

The restrictions are imposed before Taiwan’s presidential and legislature elections on January 13, which China has framed as a choice between war and peace.

Last month, the US State Department approved a $300 million sale of equipment to help Taiwan maintain its tactical information systems.

The recent arms shipments, according to the spokesman, seriously undermine China’s sovereignty and security interests and seriously jeopardize peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

BAE Systems Land and Armaments, Alliant Techsystems Operations, AeroVironment, Viasat, and Data Link Solutions are among the companies that will be sanctioned.

“China would freeze the assets of these companies and prohibit Chinese citizens and organizations from doing business with them”, the spokesman added.

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