China Sanctions Nine US Military Companies Over Taiwan Arms Sales
China has announced it will take countermeasures against nine US military-industrial companies following the US’s approval of a $228 million arms sale to Taiwan. The Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that these measures will be implemented in two parts:
- Freezing all real estate and properties owned by these US firms within China.
- Prohibiting the companies from conducting any transactions or activities with domestic organizations and individuals in China.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) shared a post on X condemning the US arms sales to Taiwan, stating, “China strongly condemns and firmly opposes the US arms sales to Taiwan and has protested to the US. As a countermeasure, China has announced sanctions against 9 US military companies.”
The nine US companies affected are:
- Sierra Nevada Corporation
- Stick Rudder Enterprises LLC
- Cubic Corporation
- S3 AeroDefense
- Teko TCOM, Limited Partnership
- TextOre
- Planate Management Group
- ACT1 Federal
- Exovera
China condemned the US weapons sale, saying it violated the “one-China principle” and the three Sino-US joint communiques, and “interfered with China’s internal affairs and damaged its sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
China views Taiwan as its own territory and has increased military and political pressure over the past five years to assert its claims, which Taiwan strongly rejects. The US, despite switching diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979, remains Taiwan’s most important partner and its biggest arms supplier, leading to repeated condemnations from China.
White House aide Jake Sullivan met with high-ranking Chinese military official Zhang Youxia last month, where Zhang warned that the status of Taiwan is “the first red line that cannot be crossed in China-US relations,” demanding that the US halts military collusion with Taiwan.
Doubts Revealed
Sanctions -: Sanctions are punishments or restrictions one country puts on another. In this case, China is punishing US companies.
US Military Companies -: These are companies in the United States that make weapons and other military equipment.
Taiwan -: Taiwan is an island near China. China and Taiwan have a complicated relationship, and China wants Taiwan to be part of it.
Arms Sales -: Arms sales mean selling weapons and military equipment. Here, the US sold weapons to Taiwan.
Countermeasures -: Countermeasures are actions taken to respond to something. China is responding to the US selling weapons to Taiwan.
Freezing Properties -: Freezing properties means stopping someone from using their money or buildings. China is stopping US companies from using their things in China.
One-China Principle -: The ‘one-China principle’ is China’s idea that there is only one China, and Taiwan is part of it.
Diplomatic Recognition -: Diplomatic recognition means officially accepting a country as a real country. The US used to recognize Taiwan but now recognizes China instead.
