China imposes sanctions on Lockheed Martin, Raytheon over Taiwan arms sales

CHINA’S commerce ministry on Thursday (Feb 16) said it put Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Technologies onto an “unreliable entities list” over arms sales to Taiwan, its latest sanctions against the two US defence contractors.

The regulations prohibit Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Missile and Defense Corporation, a subsidiary of Raytheon Technologies, from “engaging in import and export activities related to China”, according to the commerce ministry statement.

China previously sanctioned the two firms in February last year over a US$100-million arms sale to Taiwan, a self-ruled island which Beijing views as a breakaway province.

China’s foreign ministry at the time said the sale “undermined China’s security interests, seriously undermined China-US relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait”. REUTERS