China imposes sanctions on 9 US companies for selling arms to Taiwan

September 20, 2024 TruthUSA

Analysts believe that Beijing’s recent efforts to pressure the United States into restricting arms sales to Taiwan will have no significant impact.

The Chinese communist regime has imposed sanctions on nine U.S. defense companies for their recent arms sales to Taiwan, which includes freezing their assets in China.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) referred to these sanctions, which came into effect on Sept. 18, as “countermeasures.” They involve freezing the properties of the targeted firms in China and prohibiting Chinese entities and individuals from engaging in transactions with these companies.

As stated by the Chinese foreign ministry, the nine U.S. military-related companies include Sierra Nevada Corporation, Stick Rudder Enterprises LLC, Cubic Corporation, S3 Aerospace, TCOM Ltd. Partnership, TextOre, Planate Management Group, ACT1 Federal, and Exovera.

The CCP has been increasing its military preparations to potentially invade Taiwan, the self-governing island officially known as the Republic of China (ROC). Although the People’s Republic of China (PRC) under Mao Zedong was established on the mainland, the CCP claims sovereignty over Taiwan, despite never ruling it.

In response to the CCP’s escalating aggression in the Taiwan Strait, the United States has strengthened its military cooperation with Taiwan, providing weapons for defense against potential attacks, even though diplomatic relations with Taipei are not officially established.

On September 16, the U.S. State Department approved a proposed $228 million military sale to Taiwan, authorizing parts and maintenance services. This marks the 16th arms sale under the Biden administration since 2021.

Taiwanese Air Force pilots run past an armed U.S.-made F-16V fighter jet at an air force base in Chiayi, a city in southern Taiwan, on Jan. 5, 2022. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images) — Taiwanese Air Force pilots run past an armed U.S.-made F-16V fighter jet at an air force base in Chiayi, a city in southern Taiwan, on Jan. 5, 2022. Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images

During a press briefing in Beijing on Sept. 18, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian urged the United States to halt the trend of arming Taiwan, warning of strong measures to protect China’s national sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity.

Experts argue that Beijing’s actions to pressure the United States into limiting arms sales to Taiwan are unlikely to impact the situation significantly and may even have negative consequences.

“The CCP imposes sanctions on the U.S. defense companies whenever there’s a U.S. arms sale to Taiwan—it has become a new normal. The U.S. military industry anticipated and prepared for it, minimizing its impact. These American defense firms have minimal business in China due to U.S.-China tensions,” said Chung Chih-tung, an assistant research fellow at Taiwan’s Institute for National Defense and Security Research, speaking to The Epoch Times.

According to Su Tzu-yun, a researcher and director at Taiwan’s Institute for National Defense and Security Research, the sanctions serve domestic propaganda and cater to the pro-communist sentiment in China.

However, Su suggested that the CCP might target individuals associated with these companies in the future, including CEOs and board chairpersons, prohibiting their entry into China and imposing psychological pressure on them.

If Beijing escalates its actions, it could provoke a stronger response from Washington, potentially leading to countermeasures.

Regarding the likelihood of war, Chung mentioned that a large-scale military conflict in the Taiwan Strait seems improbable in the near term since Taiwan is cautious to avoid such a scenario, and China lacks the capability to invade Taiwan.

Last year, U.S. President Joe Biden stated publicly that China lacks the capacity to invade Taiwan due to economic challenges and youth unemployment. Official data indicates ongoing economic slowdown in China in the third quarter of this year.

According to Su, the possibility of a war depends on both China’s actions and Taiwan’s defense capabilities.

Since 2022, Taiwan has initiated a restructuring of its military forces to enhance its defense capabilities, as outlined in a recent report by the Congressional Research Service.

Luo Ya and Reuters contributed to this report.

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