China to impose sanctions on five American companies

TEHRAN, Jan. 07 (MNA) – China has announced sanctions against five US arms manufacturers over weapons sales to Taiwan.

Last month, the US State Department approved a $300m arms package to strengthen Taipei’s joint battle command and control system, prompting Beijing to say it would take unspecified “countermeasures” against the companies involved, Aljazeera reports.

China’s Foreign Ministry on Sunday sanctioned the companies BAE Systems Land and Armament, Alliant Techsystems Operation, AeroVironment, ViaSat, and Data Link Solutions.

“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,” the ministry said in a statement.

“The US arms sales to China’s Taiwan region… seriously harm China’s sovereignty and security interests,” it added.

MNA/PR

News ID 210443