China imposes sanctions on top US defence firms for supplying arms to Taiwan

Beijing: China said on Monday it will impose sanctions on top US defence firms, including Boeing and Lockheed Martin, for supplying weapons to Taiwan, amid deepening tensions between Beijing and Washington over increasing American arms sales to Taipei.

China's retaliation followed after the US State Department approved the sale of 135 Standoff Land Attack Missile Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) missiles and related equipment estimated to be worth over USD one billion.

The US, a major arms supplier to Taiwan, also approved 11 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems M142 Launchers and related equipment for an estimated USD 436.1 million and six MS-110 Recce Pods and related equipment for an estimated USD 367.2 million, China's state-run Global Times reported.

"China has pointed on multiple occasions that the US arms sales to Taiwan would severely undermine One-China policy besides sovereignty and security interests. We strongly oppose it and condemn it," Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing here on

Monday.