China has recently proclaimed sanctions against two American entities: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and General Dynamics Land Systems, based on their involvement in selling armaments to Taiwan.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, a subsidiary of General Atomics, is reputed for designing and producing unmanned air vehicles and radar systems for both military and commercial utilizations. Conversely, General Dynamics Land Systems is recognized for its manufacture of military vehicles, encompassing tanks and other lighter armored combat vehicles.
The sanctions are China’s response to the persistent weapon sales by the US to Taiwan, which, according to a statement from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is in direct transgression of the One China policy and the Three Joint Communiqués terms. The actions of the US are claimed to be interfering with China’s internal matters and undermining China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Furthermore, the Three Joint Communiqués – the first, second, and third – underscore the mutual recognition of each other’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity between the two nations. They also affirm that the US acknowledges the sole legality of the People’s Republic of China government.
In a previous warning from China, the US was urged to terminate the passage of military ships in the Taiwan Strait, referring to the US Naval destroyer’s journey through the politically sensitive zone.
Finally, the Anti-foreign Sanctions Law of China, specifically Article 3, declares that China is entitled to retaliate when a foreign nation infringes upon international law and norms, adopting discriminatory or restrictive measures against any Chinese citizen or organization. Article 4 further details that these retaliations might include a ban or restriction on pertinent transactions and activities between the individuals and organizations on the countermeasure list and those within the territory of China.