China has imposed sanctions on a group of United States defence companies and senior executives in response to Washington’s latest arms sales to Taiwan.
The move marks Beijing’s strongest reaction yet to a weapons package that it says undermines its core interests and regional stability.
China’s foreign ministry announced on Friday that the measures were aimed at deterring what it described as escalating military support for the self-governed island.
The sanctions come amid already strained relations between Beijing and Washington over Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory.
The foreign ministry said the sanctions target 20 U.S. defence firms and 10 individuals linked to arms sales to Taiwan.
Companies named include Boeing’s St. Louis branch, Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, L3Harris Maritime Services and Lazarus AI.
The measures freeze any assets these firms hold in China and bar Chinese organisations and individuals from doing business with them.
Assets held in China by sanctioned individuals will also be seized, and those individuals are banned from entering the country.
Those targeted include the founder of defence firm Anduril Industries and nine senior executives from the listed companies.
The ministry said the sanctions take effect on December 26.
In a statement, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said, “Any provocative actions that cross the line on the Taiwan issue will be met with a strong response from China.”
The spokesperson urged the United States to cease what Beijing described as “dangerous” efforts to arm the island.
The sanctions follow Washington’s announcement of an $11.1 billion weapons package for Taiwan, one of the largest ever approved for the territory.
The deal, announced on December 17 by President Donald Trump, includes 82 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and 420 Army Tactical Missile Systems.
It also covers 60 self-propelled howitzer artillery systems and related equipment worth more than $4 billion.
Drones valued at more than $1 billion are also part of the package.
Some of the systems are similar to those provided by the United States to Ukraine for defence against aerial attacks.
The United States is bound by law to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, a policy that has long angered Beijing.
Taiwan rejects China’s sovereignty claim and has welcomed the latest deal.
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence said the United States was assisting the island “in maintaining sufficient self-defence capabilities and in rapidly building strong deterrent power”.