China Imposes Sanctions Against 20 U.S. Defense Companies Over Arms Sales to Taiwan
The Chinese Communist government on Friday imposed sanctions against 20 American defense-related companies — including Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation and Boeing — and ten of their executives over arms sales to Taiwan.
China was infuriated by U.S. approval of an $11 billion arms sale to Taiwan last Wednesday, one of the largest American weapons deals ever approved for the island. The deal still needs approval from the U.S. Congress before it can be completed.
The arms package includes self-propelled howitzers, Javelin and TOW missiles, Altius drones, and units of the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), a highly effective mobile long-range multiple rocket launcher.
Military analysts consider the HIMARS to be one of the best rocket artillery systems in the world. The system has performed so well in Ukraine that the Ukrainians are working on developing their own domestically produced version of it.
The Altius drones would also be a formidable addition to Taiwan’s arsenal, as the package includes both sophisticated networked reconnaissance drones and precision strike weapons. The Altius-700M strike drone is a small but deadly drone that can deliver a 33-pound anti-armor warhead at ranges of up to 100 miles. Taiwan received congressional approval to purchase the Altius-600 series of long-range recon drones in 2024. (Read more from “China Imposes Sanctions Against 20 U.S. Defense Companies Over Arms Sales to Taiwan” HERE)
