China to sanction three US firms over US$1.8bn Taiwan arms deal that included missiles that can strike mainland: Boeing Defence, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon targeted
- Boeing Defence was singled out, but there was no word of any action against its parent company, which has significant mainland business interests
- Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Technologies and anyone who ‘played a bad role’ in the deal will also face punishment
Three companies, including a subsidiary of Boeing, as well as individuals and entities that “played a bad role” in the deal would be punished, Zhao Lijian, a spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry, told a daily press conference on Monday.
“In order to safeguard national interests, China decided to impose sanctions on the American companies that were involved in arms sales to Taiwan,” Zhao told a regular news briefing.
The sanctions were announced days after the US approved US$1.8 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, which Beijing regards as a breakaway province to be reunited by force if necessary.
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Washington’s US$1.8 billion arms sale to Taiwan is first weapons deal of its kind in over 40 years
Some observers said the arms package was the first meaningful sale of offensive weapons to the island since the US switched diplomatic recognition to Beijing in 1979.
The deal includes 135 Boeing AGM-84H cruise missiles – which are capable of hitting targets in mainland China – as well as 11 Lockheed Martin M142 rocket launchers and surveillance and reconnaissance sensors from Raytheon Technologies, according to the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency.