China slaps sanction on five US defence companies in tit-for-tat move

Beijing has sanctioned five US defence industry companies in response to a similar move by Washington, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.

Wang Wenbin told reporters on Sunday that the move came after the US' call to sell arms to Taiwan and Washington sanctioned Chinese businesses and individuals for different reasons.

He described the arms sales by Washington to Taiwan as a "blatant violation of the one-China principle."

In addition, Wang criticised "the illegal unilateral sanctions the US has imposed on Chinese companies and individuals under false pretexts," claiming that they "seriously harm China's sovereignty and security interests."

US sanctions also "undermine the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and violate the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of" sanctioned-Chinese actors, he said.

"In response to these gravely wrong actions taken by the US and in accordance with China's Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law, China has decided to sanction five US defence industry companies, namely BAE Systems Land and Armament, Alliant Techsystems Operation, AeroVironment, ViaSat and Data Link Solutions," said Wang.

"The countermeasures consist of freezing the properties of those companies in China, including their movable and immovable property, and prohibiting organisations and individuals in China from transactions and cooperation with them," he added.

China, which considers Taiwan a breakaway province, does not recognise the median line or the air defence zone.

Taipei, however, has insisted on its independence since 1949.