Sanctions announced on US military firms, execs

Beijing has announced fresh countermeasures sanctioning the United States military industry, urging Washington to honor its leaders' promise about not supporting "Taiwan independence" and to immediately stop arming Taiwan.

The Foreign Ministry announced the decision on Thursday to sanction 13 enterprises and six senior executives related to the US military industry, following the US' several recent announcements of arms sales to China's Taiwan region.

Such arms sales "seriously violate the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques, seriously interfere in China's internal affairs and seriously damage China's sovereignty and territorial integrity", the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Lin Jian, a ministry spokesman, said on Thursday that "Taiwan independence" is incompatible with peace in the Taiwan Strait.

"The US attempts to assist in the 'Taiwan independence' agenda by arming Taiwan. This will not shake our firm resolve to oppose 'Taiwan independence' and realize national reunification," Lin said at a daily news conference in Beijing.

Such US practices will only push Taiwan "toward military danger", and China urges the US to "stop aiding and abetting separatists' attempt to seek 'Taiwan independence' through military buildup", he said.

The 13 sanctioned US companies include Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc, as well as BRINC Drones, Inc and Rapid Flight LLC.

China will freeze these companies' movable, immovable and other kinds of property in China, and prohibits organizations and individuals in China from conducting relevant transactions, cooperation and other activities with them, the ministry said.

As for the six sanctioned senior executives, including Barbara Borgonovi, president of Naval Power at Raytheon, and Charles Woodburn, chief executive officer of BAE Systems Land and Armaments, China will freeze their movable, immovable and other kinds of property within the country's territory.

In addition, the sanctions prohibit organizations and individuals in China from engaging in transactions, cooperation and other activities with these individuals, and deny them visas and entry into China, including the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macao Special Administrative Region.

The sanctions are based on the provisions of the Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law of the People's Republic of China, and they took effect starting on Thursday, the ministry said.

On Wednesday, Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te spoke with US House Speaker Mike Johnson over the phone.

Lin, the ministry spokesman, said in response on Thursday, "Let me stress once again that the Taiwan question is at the core of China's core interests, and the first red line that cannot be crossed in China-US relations."

Beijing urges Washington to realize the serious hazards to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait posed by "Taiwan independence" secessionist moves, stop interfering in China's internal affairs, and stop sending wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces, Lin said.

"China will take resolute and strong measures to defend our nation's sovereignty and territorial integrity," he added.

zhangyunbi@chinadaily.com.cn