China on Monday announced it would take “countermeasures” against U.S. companies Raytheon and Lockheed Martin for selling U.S. arms worth $100 million to Taiwan, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told at a press briefing in Beijing.
China calls on the U.S. to stop selling arms to Taiwan and follow all the agreements concluded by Washington and Beijing, Wang added. He underlined that China would take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty and security. Earlier, the Chinese Defence Ministry spokesperson Wu Qian stated that selling arms to Taiwan constitutes a blatant interference in China’s internal affairs, which Beijing strongly condemns, calling on Washington to halt ties with Taiwan’s armed forces.
Washington early this month approved the sale of $100 million worth of equipment and services to Taiwan to upgrade the self-ruled island nation’s missile defence systems. The State Department notified Congress of the weapons sale earlier this month. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in the U.S., Taiwan’s de facto embassy in Washington, has requested. TECRO asked for support to sustain and improve its U.S.-made Patriot Air Defence System. Raytheon and Lockheed Martin are listed as the main contractors for the agreement.
Wang said at the briefing, “The Chinese government has decided to take countermeasures following the provisions of the ‘Foreign Sanctions Prevention Act’ to protect the sovereignty and security interests of China and in response to the actions of the American military-industrial companies Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Technologies, which have been involved in supplying Taiwan with American weapons for a long time.”
