China has decided to impose sanctions against two U.S. entities, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and General Dynamics Land Systems, over arms sales to China's Taiwan region, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday.

The two entities seriously violated the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-U.S. joint communiques, interfered in China's internal affairs and undermined China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, the foreign ministry said in a statement.

Pursuant to Articles 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, and 15 of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Countering Foreign Sanctions, China hereby decides to take the following countermeasures against U.S. companies: "All of their movable and immovable property and other kinds of assets within China shall be frozen, and their senior management shall be denied visas or entry into China."

The decision came into force on April 11, it said.

(Cover: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in Beijing, capital of China, May 2, 2022. /CFP)