China yesterday said that it would impose sanctions on Lockheed Martin Corp, days after the US approved a potential US$620 million refurbishment package for missiles to Taiwan.
The possible foreign military sale involves Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missiles.
In Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it “strongly condemns” China’s gesture, describing it as “irrational clamor and barbaric intimidation.”
Photo: Lu Yi-hsuan, Taipei Times
Taiwan’s procurement of weapons and self-defense upgrades are necessary and legitimate for defending the nation’s sovereignty and democratic establishments, as well as peace in the Taiwan Strait, ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) said in a statement.
China’s ungrounded criticism cannot conceal its aggressive and authoritarian nature, nor can it sway Taiwan’s determination to reject its “one country, two systems” model, she added.
China “firmly opposes US arms sales to Taiwan,” Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Zhao Lijian (趙立堅) told a regular briefing, urging Washington to abide by the concept that Taiwan is part of “one China.”
Zhao added that the US should “stop arms sales to Taiwan and cut military ties with it, so as not to do further harm to China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”
Tensions between the US and China have been increasingly strained as the two sides tussle on various fronts — ranging from the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic and China’s policies in Hong Kong, Tibet and Xinjiang.
Zhao said that China’s move to hit Lockheed with sanctions was “to safeguard its national interests.”
Last year, China threatened sanctions on US firms linked to a sale of warplanes to Taiwan as well, calling the move a serious interference in its internal affairs.
Lockheed did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Taiwan is bolstering its defenses for what it sees as increasingly threatening moves by Beijing, such as its regular air force and naval exercises near the country.
Minister of National Defense Yen De-fa (嚴德發), visiting troops during the annual Han Kuang military exercises, said they needed to be strong in the face of “all sorts of threats and provocations” from China.
“This tells our people and the Communists that we have the confidence and ability to protect our people and homeland, and defend the country’s security,” the Ministry of National Defense quoted him as saying.
Additional reporting by Lin Chia-nan and Reuters
CALL FOR SUPPORT: President William Lai called on lawmakers across party lines to ensure the livelihood of Taiwanese and that national security is protected President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday called for bipartisan support for Taiwan’s investment in self-defense capabilities at the christening and launch of two coast guard vessels at CSBC Corp, Taiwan’s (台灣國際造船) shipyard in Kaohsiung. The Taipei (台北) is the fourth and final ship of the Chiayi-class offshore patrol vessels, and the Siraya (西拉雅) is the Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) first-ever ocean patrol vessel, the government said. The Taipei is the fourth and final ship of the Chiayi-class offshore patrol vessels with a displacement of about 4,000 tonnes, Lai said. This ship class was ordered as a result of former president Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) 2018
UKRAINE, NVIDIA: The US leader said the subject of Russia’s war had come up ‘very strongly,’ while Jenson Huang was hoping that the conversation was good Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and US President Donald Trump had differing takes following their meeting in Busan, South Korea, yesterday. Xi said that the two sides should complete follow-up work as soon as possible to deliver tangible results that would provide “peace of mind” to China, the US and the rest of the world, while Trump hailed the “great success” of the talks. The two discussed trade, including a deal to reduce tariffs slapped on China for its role in the fentanyl trade, as well as cooperation in ending the war in Ukraine, among other issues, but they did not mention
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi yesterday lavished US President Donald Trump with praise and vows of a “golden age” of ties on his visit to Tokyo, before inking a deal with Washington aimed at securing critical minerals. Takaichi — Japan’s first female prime minister — pulled out all the stops for Trump in her opening test on the international stage and even announced that she would nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize, the White House said. Trump has become increasingly focused on the Nobel since his return to power in January and claims to have ended several conflicts around the world,
GLOBAL PROJECT: Underseas cables ‘are the nervous system of democratic connectivity,’ which is under stress, Member of the European Parliament Rihards Kols said The government yesterday launched an initiative to promote global cooperation on improved security of undersea cables, following reported disruptions of such cables near Taiwan and around the world. The Management Initiative on International Undersea Cables aims to “bring together stakeholders, align standards, promote best practices and turn shared concerns into beneficial cooperation,” Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said at a seminar in Taipei. The project would be known as “RISK,” an acronym for risk mitigation, information sharing, systemic reform and knowledge building, he said at the seminar, titled “Taiwan-Europe Subsea Cable Security Cooperation Forum.” Taiwan sits at a vital junction on
RSS