BEIJING – China announced on Dec 5 that it is imposing sanctions on 13 US military firms in retaliation for the United States’ recent approval of a $385 million arms deal with Taiwan, which Beijing claims undermines its sovereignty.
The sanctions, which include asset freezes and entry bans, target companies involved in the sale of spare parts and support for F-16 fighter jets and radars to Taiwan. The arms deal, coupled with Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s transit through US territory, has drawn strong objections from Beijing, which views the self-governing island as its own territory and its president as a separatist threat.
Sanctioned Firms and Executives
The sanctioned firms include Teledyne Brown Engineering Inc, Brinc Drones Inc, Shield AI Inc, Rapid Flight LLC, Red Six Solutions, Synexxus Inc, Firestorm Labs Inc, and Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems Inc, among others. Six executives from major defense contractors, including Raytheon, BAE Systems, and United Technologies, are also subject to asset freezes and travel bans.
Chinese organizations and individuals are prohibited from engaging with the blacklisted firms and executives.
Beijing’s Stance
“This arms sale severely undermines China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the Chinese foreign ministry said in its announcement, reiterating its opposition to foreign interactions with Taiwan’s leadership.
The sanctions come amid heightened tensions over Taiwan, with Beijing signaling its growing frustration over US support for the island.
China has vowed to take further measures if the US continues to bolster Taiwan militarily or politically.