China announced sanctions against 20 US defense companies and 10 top executives on Friday, citing U.S. gun sales Taiwan as his motive.
In a statement, China's Foreign Ministry said its assets in China, including movable and immovable property, will be frozen and domestic organizations and individuals will be prohibited from doing business with them.
Those on the list will also be denied visas and entry into the country, the ministry added.
The sanctions list included Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, a subsidiary of Boeing in St. Louis, EpirusAnd Anduril Industries founder Palmer Luckey.
In a statement, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said: “We reiterate that the Taiwan issue lies at the core of China's core interests and is the first red line that should not be crossed in China.”
“Any company or individual involved in selling weapons to Taiwan will pay for their wrongdoings,” they added.
When reached for comment, Anduril pointed Business Insider to X's post from Lucky, in which the CEO joked that he was honored.
“I want to thank my family, my team and my Lord Jesus Christ for this award,” Lucky wrote on X. “Anduril has been under sanctions for a while, like many of my peers, but it means so much to me to finally have my non-existent Chinese assets seized and repurposed.”
China's sanctions follow the US announcement of an $11 billion military aid package for Taiwan last week.
The deal, which includes self-propelled howitzers and HIMARS missile launchers, still needs to be approved by Congress but has drawn a swift response from Beijing.
Lin Jian, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, said in a statement at the time that China “strongly condemns and firmly opposes” the sales.
China views Taiwan as a breakaway province that will one day come under Beijing's control, and Chinese President Xi Jinping has refused to rule out an invasion of the island. Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party views Taiwan as separate from China.
Under the Taiwan Relations Act, the United States is obligated to assist Taiwan's defense.
Beijing has increased pressure around the island in recent years, frequently conducting military exercises in the skies and waters surrounding it.
2024 report The Washington, D.C.-based Center for Strategic and International Studies has suggested that China could establish control over Taiwan without launching an invasion.
The report says China may introduce quarantine on the island using its coast guard.
“The purpose of the quarantine is not to completely isolate Taiwan from the world, but to assert Chinese control over Taiwan by setting conditions for entry and exit from the island,” the document states.
“The main goal is to force countries and companies to comply with China’s conditions.”
