China banned the export of dual-use products to over two dozen US defence contractors, targeting top players like Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, as it objected to Washington’s latest arms sales to Taiwan.
Beijing imposed the ban on 28 US defence contractors, placing 10 of them on an unreliable entities list over weapons sales to Taiwan, the commerce ministry said on Thursday.
The 10 “unreliable entities” were engaged in the American weapons sales to Taiwan “despite strong opposition” from Beijing.
China considers Taiwan a part of its territory and does not rule out the use of force to “reunite” the island.
The export ban mimics last month’s sanctions on defence and aerospace entities involved in a previous sale of weapons to Taiwan.
The firms under the latest ban will be barred from import and export activities in China and from making new investments.
Another 42 tanks, considered the heaviest in the world, are due to be delivered this year, and 28 the year after. »