BEIJING (AP) — China on Thursday imposed trade and investment sanctions on U.S. military contractors Lockheed Martin and Raytheon for supplying weapons to Taiwan as part of their efforts to isolate the island democracy, which the Communist Party in power claims as part of its territory. .
Companies will not be able to import goods into China or make new investments in the country, the Commerce Ministry said.
The impact of the sanctions on Lockheed Martin or Raytheon was not immediately clear. The United States bans most weapons technology sales to China, but some military contractors have civilian operations in aerospace, among other markets.
Taiwan and China separated in 1949 after a civil war. The island was never part of the People’s Republic of China but the Communist Party maintains that it is bound to join the mainland, by force if necessary.
President Xi Jinping’s government has stepped up efforts to intimidate Taiwan by deploying fighter jets and bombers near the island and launching missiles into the sea.