TAIPEI (Dispatches) — China said Monday it will impose new sanctions on U.S. defense contractors Raytheon Technologies and Lockheed Martin due to their arms sales to Taiwan.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin announced the move at a daily press briefing, citing a newly passed Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law that took effect in 2021. It was in response to a $100 million deal approved by the U.S. for maintenance of Taiwan’s missile defense systems by the two companies.
“China once again urges the U.S. government and relevant parties to . . . stop arms sales to Taiwan and sever military ties with Taiwan,” Wang said.
“China will continue to take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard its sovereignty and security interests in accordance with the development of the situation,” he said without giving any details.
The U.S. has no formal relations with Taiwan but is its main ally. It has increased weapons sales in recent years, angering China with the sales.
In October 2020, Beijing also announced sanctions against Raytheon and other defense contractors and “relevant American individuals.” A day later, the State Department said it had notified Congress of plans for a $2.37 billion sale of Harpoon attack missiles to Taiwan.
China maintains that U.S. arms sale to Taiwan violates its so-called “one-China principle” and provisions of agreements between Beijing and Washington.
Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will visit Taiwan next week and meet President Tsai Ing-wen, the Taiwan government said on Monday.
Pompeo served under then-President Donald Trump from 2018 until the end of the administration in January last year.
The Trump administration gave strong backing to Taiwan, despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties, including high profile arms sales and visits of top U.S. officials to Taipei.
Separately Beijing on Monday denied Australian allegations that a Chinese naval vessel shone a laser at one of the country’s surveillance aircraft in an incident that Prime Minister Scott Morrison termed an “act of intimidation”.
A Chinese ship sailing off Australia’s northern coast last week illuminated the plane, Canberra’s defense department claimed Sunday, adding that the act had “the potential to endanger lives.”
However, Beijing said the laser accusation was “not true” and defended the Chinese ship’s movements as “normal navigation ... in line with relevant international law.”
“We urge Australia to respect the legitimate rights of Chinese ships in relevant sea areas in accordance with international law and stop spreading false information related to China,” spokesman Wenbin said at a routine press briefing.
A spokesman for China’s defense ministry later said an Australian P-8 patrol aircraft had come within four kilometers (2.5 miles) of the vessel and engaged in “malicious provocations” that “posed a threat” to safety.
The ministry released photos it said showed sonar buoys dropped by the plane into the surrounding waters.
Relations between China and Australia have nosedived in recent years.
Beijing also reacted with fury last year when Canberra joined a trilateral defense pact with the United States and Britain that would allow it to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.