China announced it was sanctioning Northrop Grumman Corp. and a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corp. for supplying arms to Taiwan, in the latest example of Beijing showing its displeasure at US support for the island.
(Bloomberg) — China announced it was sanctioning Northrop Grumman Corp. and a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corp. for supplying arms to Taiwan, in the latest example of Beijing showing its displeasure at US support for the island.
“Lockheed Martin Corp. in St Louis, Missouri has directly participated in the US arms sales to Taiwan announced on August 24,” said Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Mao Ning during regular press briefing in Beijing on Friday. “Northrop Grumman has participated in US arms sales to Taiwan several times.”
“In accordance with the anti-foreign sanctions law of the PRC, China decided to impose sanctions on these two above-mentioned US defense companies,” she said, using the abbreviation of the country’s formal name.
In August the Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced a $500 million sale of equipment for the F-16 fighter jet, which will be supplied by Lockheed Martin in Missouri. In December last year the same agency announced that Northrup Grumman would supply Taiwan with a system to deploy anti-tank mines.
On top of those deals, last month the US State Department announced a package worth as much as $80 million for the self-ruled island to purchase US weapons. That money could be used to finance the acquisition and refurbishment of armored and infantry vehicles, artillery systems, drones and counter-drone equipment, communications and individual soldier equipment, as well as requisite training, according to the congressional notification.
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
©2023 Bloomberg L.P.