China on Thursday announced new sanctions on the US firms Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Technologies, which are involved in arms sales to Taiwan, a decision it rejects and demands revoking.

Beijing.- The Ministry of Commerce explained that those firms are banned from imports and investments in China, in addition to being included in a list of unreliable entities because “they are a threat to national security, sovereignty, and development interests.”

In recent years, the two firms received other Chinese sanctions for the same reason.

China has always emphasized that the measures were necessary to protect the country’s interests in the face of the White House’s insistence on maintaining discord in one of the most sensitive issues of bilateral relations.

China also claims that Washington, with that stance, undermines mutual ties and jeopardizes peace and stability in the region.

In 2019, the United States announced a plan to supply military equipment worth two billion dollars to Taiwan despite China’s strong opposition. (PL)