China imposed sanctions on two important British protection companies on Thursday over U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, which Beijing claims are part of its territory.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed that the U.S. arms sales to Taiwan violated the several agreements between the United States and China that maintain a fragile situation where the United States does not actually understand the Chinese government nor aid its independence, but which also allow for the U.S. to maintain casual ties to the political island nation and strengthen its defense against a military takeover by China.
The department said in a speech:
The continued U. S. arms sales to China’s Taiwan region severely violate the one- China principle and the provisions of the three China- U. S. combined communiqués, tamper in China’s domestic affairs, and destroy China’s sovereignty and regional integrity.
General Dynamics Land Systems and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems were sanctioned by China, halting their assets there and preventing senior management from entering. ” This decision shall come into force as of April 11, 2024″, the statement said.
According to the Associated Press ( AP ), General Dynamics operates , a half- dozen Gulfstream and jet aviation services operations in China. The Abrams tank, which is being purchased by Taiwan to withstand an invasion by China, is also produced by the company.
Last year, China banned , American defense companies Lockheed Martin Corp. and Raytheon Missiles &, Defense after one of their planes and missiles shot down the suspected spy balloon that was discovered flying across the continental U. S. over sensitive military installations, the AP reported.
Taiwan is a major flashpoint between the U. S. and China.
The United States has maintained a strong unofficial diplomatic relationship with the government of Taiwan, which was established after Chinese nationalist forces fled to Taiwan amid a civil war with Chinese communists, despite switching official recognition of the Chinese government from Taiwan to Beijing in 1979. China has vowed to “unify” with Taiwan, including by force.
Since then, the United States has worked to keep the status quo in place, with Taiwan not formally declaring its independence and China not attempting to seize the island. However, the Chinese government, in recent years, has stepped up its aggression towards Taiwan, conducting larger and more frequent military drills around the island.
The Japanese prime minister’s high-profile visit to Washington, DC, led to the announcement of the most recent sanctions.
When asked about the visit on Thursday, Mao Ning, a spokeswoman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, claimed that the United States and Japan had “attacked and smeared China on the Taiwan question and maritime issues, grossly interfered in China’s domestic affairs, and violated the fundamental rules of international relations. China has made serious démarches to the relevant parties and deplores and opposes it.
She said:
There is only one China, I want to emphasize. This is a fact from history and a general opinion. The Taiwan question is purely China’s domestic affair and brooks no external interference. Regarding the Taiwan issue, the US and Japanese governments have made significant commitments to China. Japan should all the more honor its words and take precautions because it bears a significant historical responsibility for its aggression against Taiwan and colonial rule over the island. We urge the US to translate President Biden’s commitment of not supporting” Taiwan independence” into concrete actions.
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