China Retaliates: Sanctions on US Military-Industrial Firms

China has imposed measures against 12 U.S. military-industrial companies, including freezing assets and banning executives, in response to U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and sanctions on Chinese entities. The action targets firms such as Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and General Dynamics.

China said on Wednesday it had taken measures against 12 companies involved in the U.S. military-industrial complex and their senior executives, in response to the U.S. arming of Taiwan and sanctions on Chinese companies.

The U.S. companies included units of Lockheed Martin , Raytheon and General Dynamics, China's Foreign Ministry said. The measures, which include freezing assets in China and banning senior executives from entering the country, took effect from Wednesday, it added.

The action follows U.S. "indiscriminately imposing unlawful unilateral sanctions on a number of Chinese entities on the basis of so-called Russia-related factors," the ministry said in a statement. China said the U.S. had "ignored its objective and impartial position in the Ukrainian crisis", and had instead "engaged in unilateral bullying and economic coercion".

The ministry said the U.S. has also continued to sell arms to Taiwan, which "seriously violates" the one-China principle and joint communiqués between both countries, and "seriously undermines" China's sovereignty and territorial integrity.