China Sanctions Lockheed Martin, Raytheon for Weapons Sales to Taiwan

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said it is imposing sanctions on two American firms – Lockheed Martin and Raytheon – that acted as the main contractors in the latest U.S. arms sale to Taiwan.

The companies will be punished based on the related regulations by China's Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law, Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson at China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a routine press conference on Monday. His statement comes after the U.S. announced its plan on February 7 to sell $100 million worth of Patriot missile upgrades to Taipei.

“China firmly opposes and strongly condemns this," Wang said. He urged the U.S. government and relevant parties to abide by the one-China principle and regulations of the three Joint Communiqués between China and the U.S., especially those in the August 17 communiqué, cancel the arms sale plan immediately and cut off military ties with Taiwan.

The Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law, adopted at the closing meeting of a session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on June 10, 2021, enables China to take countermeasures against those who interfere with China's internal affairs.

The countermeasures include refusing to issue visas, banning entry into China, invalidating visas, and deportation, sealing up, seizing and freezing movable, immovable and other types of property in China, prohibiting from conducting related transactions with domestic organizations or individuals, and other necessary measures, according to the law.