China has imposed sanctions on five U.S. arms manufacturers in response to their involvement in weapons sales to Taiwan. China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve reunification, while the U.S. is obligated by law to support Taiwan’s defense.
These sanctions coincide with Taiwan’s upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections on January 13, with China framing the elections as a choice between war and peace. Last month, the U.S. State Department approved a $300 million arms package to enhance Taipei’s joint battle command and control system, prompting China to threaten unspecified “countermeasures” against the involved companies.
The companies affected by China’s sanctions include BAE Systems Land and Armament, Alliant Techsystems Operation, AeroVironment, ViaSat, and Data Link Solutions. The sanctions involve freezing the companies’ properties in China and prohibiting transactions and cooperation with them.
China’s Foreign Ministry stated that such U.S. arms sales to Taiwan undermine its sovereignty and security interests. Tensions between China and Taiwan have escalated since the election of President Tsai Ing-wen in 2016, with China accusing her of seeking independence, while Tsai maintains that the future of Taiwan should be determined by its people. In the upcoming elections, Tsai’s vice president, William Lai, is running against Hou Yu-ih of the more China-friendly KMT party.
