China: “Will pay the price” declares sanctions on US defense companies due to arms sales from Taiwan
China: In reaction to Washington’s recent decision to permit large-scale military sales to Taiwan, China on Friday vowed harsh actions against a number of US defense businesses and key personnel, according to Global Times.
Ten top officials and twenty US defense-related businesses that have recently supplied Taiwan with weapons may face penalties, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. The measure will take effect immediately and was adopted in accordance with China’s Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law.
Red Cat Holdings, Teal Drones, ReconCraft, High Point Aerotechnologies, Epirus, Dedrone Holdings, Area-I, Blue Force Technologies, Dive Technologies, Vantor, Intelligent Epitaxy Technology, Gibbs & Cox, Advanced Acoustic Concepts, VSE Corporation, Sierra Technical Services, Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, L3Harris Maritime Services, Boeing in St. Louis, and Lazarus Enterprises are among the companies that the ministry claims are targeted.
All of these Chinese firms’ moveable and immovable assets would be blocked as a result of the penalties. Additionally, commerce, collaboration, and other interactions with the named enterprises would be prohibited for Chinese organizations and people.
Ten senior executives are also covered by the measures, including Palmer Luckey, the founder of Anduril Industries, and senior executives from L3Harris, VSE Corporation, and other businesses. According to the ministry, their actions pertaining to China would be limited, and their assets in China will be restricted.
Beijing said that US weapons supplies to Taiwan “seriously violate the one-China principle and the three China-US Joint Communiques, interfere in China’s internal affairs, and undermine China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” . According to the Foreign Ministry, the action undermines China’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, according to Global Times.
According to a ministry official, the Taiwan issue represents a red line in China-US ties and is fundamental to China’s national interests.
“China will respond in a severe manner to anybody who tries to go too far and provoke the Taiwan issue. Any business or person involved in the sale of weapons to Taiwan will be held accountable. The spokesman said, “No nation or force shall ever undervalue the determination, will, and capacity of the Chinese government and people to protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Additionally, China asked the US to keep its word, cease arming Taiwan, and refrain from taking any measures that would exacerbate tensions across the Taiwan Strait. Beijing issued a warning that it will keep taking “resolute measures” to safeguard its security and sovereignty.
The response follows last week’s approval of a significant armaments package for Taiwan by the US President Donald Trump’s administration. The US State Department claims that the proposed sales, which include drones, howitzers, and medium-range missiles, are worth more than USD 10 billion.
According to Focus Taiwan, eight military packages totaling an estimated USD 11.1 billion might be sold to Taiwan, including drones, anti-tank missiles, and HIMARS rocket launchers.
According to the Taiwanese news outlet, which cited the country’s Defense Ministry, five of the eight arms packages—the M109A7 howitzers, HIMARS rocket systems, TOW 2B anti-tank missiles, anti-armor drones, and FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missiles—are included in a special defense budget of NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.85 billion) that the Taiwanese government proposed last month and is awaiting review by lawmakers.
China has warned that such actions jeopardize regional peace and stability and has always opposed US military supplies to Taiwan.