China to impose sanctions on 5 U.S. defense firms over Taiwan arms sales

China has decided to impose sanctions on five U.S. defense companies due to their involvement in arms sales to China's Taiwan region, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced on Sunday.

The spokesperson announced the decision when asked about China's countermeasures to the United States' recently announced new arms sales to Taiwan and sanctioning of Chinese businesses and individuals under various pretexts. 

The spokesperson said U.S. arms sales to China's Taiwan region are in blatant violation of the one-China principle and the stipulations of the three China-U.S. joint communiques, particularly the August 17 joint communique of 1982, and the illegal unilateral sanctions the U.S. has imposed on Chinese companies and individuals under various false pretexts seriously harm China's sovereignty and security interests.

The spokesperson said the U.S. arms sales and the illegal unilateral sanctions also undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, and violate the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies and individuals, and China strongly deplores and firmly opposes this and has made solemn démarches to the U.S.

The spokesperson said that in response to gravely wrong actions taken by the U.S. and in accordance with China's Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law, China has decided to sanction five U.S. defense industry companies, namely BAE Systems Land and Armament, Alliant Techsystems Operation, AeroVironment, ViaSat and Data Link Solutions.

The countermeasures consist of freezing the properties of those companies in China, including their movable and immovable property, and prohibiting organizations and individuals in China from transactions and cooperation with them, the spokesperson said.

"I would like to stress that the Chinese government remains unwavering in our resolve to safeguard national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity and protect the lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies and citizens," said the spokesperson.

China urges the U.S. to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, observe international law and the basic norms governing international relations, stop arming Taiwan, and stop targeting China with illegal unilateral sanctions, the spokesperson said, noting that "otherwise there will be strong and resolute response from China."

(With input from Xinhua)