China Imposes Sanctions On 20 US Arms Firms Over Taiwan Weapons Sale

By Staff, Agencies

China has imposed sanctions on 20 additional US weapons manufacturers and ten senior executives in retaliation for Washington’s latest arms sale to Taiwan, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Friday.

The measures expand an existing blacklist targeting the US defense sector. Beijing said the sanctions were imposed in response to actions that undermine China’s sovereignty over Taiwan and violate the One-China policy.

Last week, US President Donald Trump approved the sale of $11.1 billion worth of weapons to Taiwan, the largest arms package for the self-governing island to date and the second since he took office in January.

According to Taipei, the deal includes HIMARS rocket systems, howitzers, Javelin anti-tank missiles, Altius loitering munition drones, and other military equipment.

Beijing strongly condemned the move, accusing Washington of encouraging pro-independence forces on the island and escalating cross-strait tensions.

After their defeat in the Chinese civil war, nationalist forces retreated to Taiwan, where they continued to administer the island as the Republic of China.

The US later formally recognized Beijing under President Richard Nixon’s rapprochement policy, and the People’s Republic of China assumed China’s seat at the United Nations Security Council. Despite this, Washington has remained Taiwan’s primary arms supplier.

China maintains that it seeks peaceful reunification but has repeatedly warned it will use force if Taiwan’s authorities formally declare independence.

Former US President Joe Biden was the first to publicly state that the American military would defend Taiwan in the event of a conflict, departing from the long-standing policy of strategic ambiguity aimed at deterring escalation by either side.

Most Chinese sanctions against US defense companies are linked to Taiwan arms sales, though some restrictions imposed last year were framed as retaliation for US sanctions targeting Chinese firms over the Ukraine conflict. Washington has accused Beijing of supporting Moscow in its confrontation with Kiev.