China announced on Wednesday that it is imposing sanctions on U.S. companies involved in selling arms to Taiwan, the self-governing island that Beijing claims as part of its territory and has threatened to annex by force.
Chinese state media reported the sanctions, citing the Foreign Ministry, but did not provide details on which companies are affected. Taiwan is expecting deliveries of F-16 fighter jets, Abrams tanks, and various missiles from the U.S.
China has been increasing its threats to attack Taiwan, where the majority of its 23 million citizens support maintaining their current de facto independence. Despite the absence of formal diplomatic relations, the U.S. has been a long-standing supplier of military equipment to Taiwan and is legally obligated to help ensure the island’s defense capabilities.
In addition to purchasing weapons from the U.S., Taiwan has been revitalizing its domestic defense industry. It is developing a fleet of submarines and has extended mandatory military service for men to one year.
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China has previously called on U.S. companies to stop cooperating with Taiwan’s military, but these demands have had little effect so far.
