Beijing, June 21 (EFE).- China announced this Friday sanctions against several companies in the Lockheed Martin group and its directors for selling weapons to Taiwan, something that, according to Beijing, “seriously interferes in China’s internal affairs and seriously damages its sovereignty.” and territorial integrity”.
On Thursday, China had already condemned the US State Department’s approval of the sale of a combat drone and loitering missile system to Taiwan worth $360.2 million (€335 million). ), ensuring that the Taiwan question is “the red line” between Washington and Beijing.
Among the sanctioned companies, whose assets in China will be frozen, are several subsidiaries of the Lockheed Martin group as well as executives James Teclit, Frank St. John, and Jesse Malefe.
They will be prohibited from carrying out operations in the country and will be denied entry into Chinese territory, including Hong Kong and Macau, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said today in a brief statement.
Foreign Affairs spokesman Lin Jian declared Thursday that the US decision to sell weapons to Taiwan constitutes a “serious violation of the sovereignty and security interests” of China, “seriously harming China-US relations.” ” and “threatens peace and stability” in the Taiwan Strait
Lin noted that this decision “sends the wrong signal to the separatist forces” on the island.
The Taiwan issue is one of the biggest sources of conflict between China and the United States, mainly due to the fact that Washington is Taiwan’s main arms supplier and would be its greatest military ally in the event of a war with the Asian giant.
In recent years, Beijing has intensified its pressure on the island, which it considers a rebellious province since the Kuomintang nationalists retreated there after losing the war against the communist Army in 1949. EFE
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