China announced Monday, Oct. 26, 2020 it will impose sanctions on U.S. companies including Raytheon, Boeing and Lockheed Martin for supplying weapons to rival Taiwan, a foreign ministry spokesman said Monday.
Washington promised in the 1980s to reduce and eventually end weapons sales to Taiwan but insists its dispute with Beijing must be settled peacefully.
āIn order to safeguard national interests, China decided to impose sanctions on the American companies that were involved in arms sales to Taiwan,ā Zhao said at a regular news briefing.
Weapons sales to the island have increased in quantity and quality.
China has stepped up military activity around Taiwan in an attempt to force concessions from the pro-independence administration of President Tsai Ing-wen.