China Furious Over Trump’s Taiwan Arms Sale, Bans 20 U.S. Defense Firms

Beijing: Tensions between China and the United States have escalated after the Trump administration approved a record $11.1 billion arms sale to Taiwan. China strongly opposed the decision and on Friday announced sanctions against 20 U.S. defense companies and 10 officials involved in supplying weapons to Taiwan.

China’s Foreign Ministry warned that any attempt to provoke Beijing on the Taiwan issue would be met with a strong response. “Taiwan is a core issue for China, and it should be treated as a red line in China-U.S. relations. Any attempt to cross this line or incite separatist forces in Taiwan will not be tolerated,” the ministry said.

The sanctions, however, are unlikely to have a significant impact on the affected U.S. defense companies, as they have minimal business operations in China.

Call for Adherence to the ‘One-China’ Principle
Beijing urged Washington to respect the “One-China” principle and halt efforts to arm Taiwan. Chinese officials emphasized that destabilizing the Taiwan Strait or sending the wrong signal to separatist forces in Taiwan would threaten regional stability.

China Pledges Strong Measures
The Foreign Ministry reiterated that China will continue to take strong measures to safeguard its national sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity. In recent months, Beijing has repeatedly hinted at the possibility of military action over Taiwan, heightening regional concerns as the U.S. proceeds with the arms sale.