China Sanctions US-owned Lockheed Over Arms Sales To Taiwan

The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has sanctioned a US-owned company which deals in arms manufacturing and sales, Lockheed Martin, for selling weapons to Taiwan.

This was announced by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday, stating that certain entities and senior executives of the American defence company have been sanctioned.

China declared severe measures, freezing of movable and immovable property and other types of assets in China of three entities and three members of the company’s leadership.

These individuals, including President James Donald Taiclet, have also been personally affected, being banned from entering China (including Hong Kong and Macau).

China cited the continued U.S. arms sales to the Taiwan region as seriously violating the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-U.S. Joint Communiqués, interfering in China’s internal affairs, and undermining its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Beijing’s position is clear. It considers democratically-ruled Taiwan as part of the territory of the People’s Republic of China. It is also seeking to bring it under its control, not ruling out the possibility of using force.

Despite the United States not maintaining formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, China has considered the U.S. its most significant ally and arms supplier.

The 10 senior executives as listed in the attached list of targets of countermeasures include, Kathy J. Warden (Chair, Chief Executive Officer and President, Northrop Grumman Corporation), Matthew Bromberg (Corporate Vice President, Global Operations, Northrop Grumman Corporation), Benjamin R. Davies (Vice President and General Manager, Strategic Deterrent Systems, Northrop Grumman Space Systems), Thomas H. Jones (Corporate Vice President and President, Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems) among others.

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