BEIJING — China has announced new sanctions targeting American companies involved in the sale of arms to Taiwan. This move comes in response to Taiwan’s ongoing military partnerships with the United States, as Beijing claims the self-ruled island as its territory and has signaled intentions to assert control.
Chinese state media reported the sanctions, citing the Foreign Ministry, yet did not specify which companies are impacted. Taiwan is currently in the process of receiving deliveries of advanced military equipment, including F-16 fighter jets and Abrams tanks.
Escalating tensions have prompted China to issue increasing threats of military action against Taiwan, where the populace of 23 million largely supports maintaining their de-facto independence. The United States, while lacking formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, has historically played a vital role in supplying defense resources to ensure the island’s self-defense capabilities.
In addition to importing weapons from the U.S., Taiwan is revitalizing its domestic arms production, marked by the development of a new fleet of submarines and an extension of mandatory military service for men to one year.
Previously, China has urged U.S. companies to cease collaboration with Taiwan’s military forces, a demand that has not achieved any significant results to date.
