Beijing said on Friday (15/9) that it had imposed sanctions on two US defense companies, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, for their role in supplying weapons to Taiwan.
The United States Congress, under the Relations with Taiwan Act, requires the supply of arms to the self-governing democracy for its defense.
The US government does this through sales and not direct aid. But in August, Washington for the first time approved direct US military assistance to Taiwan under an aid program aimed at foreign governments.
“Despite China’s strong opposition, the US government decided to provide weapons to Taiwan. This seriously harms China’s sovereignty and security interests. By arming Taiwan, the US is increasingly taking a wrong and dangerous path,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said in a statement. regular press conferences.
He said that Lockheed Martin was the prime contractor in the US arms sale to Taiwan that took place on August 24, and that Northrop Grumman had taken part in the sale “many times.”
“In accordance with the Anti-Foreign Sanctions Act, China has decided to impose sanctions on the two US military companies,” he said. (ab/lt)