On Friday, China said that it was sanctioning two US defense companies, Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin, over their parts in selling arms to Taiwan.
The United States Congress, under the Taiwan Relations Act, demands the supply of arms to the self-governing island for its defense.
US administrations had done so through sales instead of immediate assistance, but in August US for the first time agreed on direct US military assistance to Taiwan under an aid program aimed at foreign governments.
Mao Ning, a Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman said at a regular press briefing that despite China’s strong resistance, the US government has decided to supply weapons to Taiwan… seriously damaging Beijjing sovereignty and security interests, and moving further and further on the wrong and harmful road of arming Taiwan.
She said that Lockheed Martin was the prime contractor in US arms sales to Taiwan that happened on August 24 and that Northrop Grumman had taken part in sales “many times.”
Ning added that according to the Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law of the PRC, China has determined to levy sanctions on the above two US military companies.
She said that China demanded the US to halt selling weapons to Taiwan. Otherwise, it will inevitably encounter a resolute and firm response from China, she added.
The $80 million arms package approved in August was little likened to current sales but was the first aid to Taiwan under the Foreign Military Financing program.
