China announced sanctions on Thursday against 10 United States companies and their managers, including several branches of the giant Lockheed Martin, in the name of their participation in arms sales to Taiwan.
The Asian giant believes that the island is one of its provinces, which it has not yet managed to unify with the rest of its territory since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949. It does not exclude use of force to achieve this.
Under the presidency of Joe Biden, the United States has made several arms sales to Taiwan, angering Beijing which sees it as an attack on its sovereignty.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce on Thursday placed several American companies on a “untrusted entity list” because of “their participation in arms sales” in Taiwan, he said in a statement.
This decision was made “in order to protect sovereignty, security and development interests” Chinese, he stressed.
Among the companies targeted are several entities of the American juggernaut Lockheed Martin, manufacturer of defense and aerospace equipment, the missiles branch of Raytheon and three companies of the arms giant General Dynamics.
These US companies can no longer import or export weapons or other things. “linked to China” or even investments in the Asian country. Their “senior leaders” will no longer be able to enter Chinese territory.
China had already announced on Friday that it would sanction seven American companies, after Washington’s approval of a new military aid package for Taiwan.
If Washington has recognized Beijing to the detriment of Taipei since 1979, the American Congress has at the same time required it to supply arms to Taiwan.
Beijing-Taipei relations have been execrable since 2016 and the arrival as president of the island of Tsai Ing-wen, then of her successor Lai Ching-te in May 2024, both categorically opposed to the legitimacy of Chinese demands.
The latter in return exerts strong military pressure on the territory.
At the same time, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced Thursday the placement of 28 American entities, including defense companies, on its export control list. This decision prohibits the export of dual-use products (civil and military) to these entities.
General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin Corporation and Boeing Defense, Space & Security are notably targeted in order to “safeguard national security and interests and fulfill international obligations such as non-proliferation”indicated the ministry.
© Agence France-Presse
