Beijing to Impose Sanctions on US Companies over Arms Sales to Taiwan

Speaking further, the spokesman said that Lockheed Martin, Boeing Defense and Raytheon will fall under the Chinese sanctions, Sputnik reported.

Last week, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the Pentagon's office that oversees US military assistance to other nations, announced that the State Department had approved the sale of $1.008 billion worth of AGM-84H Standoff Land Attack Missile Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) and related equipment to the Republic of China, the official name of the government in Taipei, Taiwan.

Commenting on the US decision, the Chinese Foreign Ministry called on the United States to cancel the proposed arms deal, adding that China would make necessary responses in accordance with the development of the situation.

Beijing has always called Taiwan "an inseparable part of its territory" and asked other countries to adhere to the "One China" policy.

While Washington does not officially recognize Taiwan as an independent state entity, sticking rather to the "One China" policy, it has actually kept informal relations with the island, including arms supplies, after breaking off diplomatic relations with it in 1979.

Last week, the Chinese Foreign Ministry called on the United States to cancel its arms sales deal with Taiwan.