94Ha Viewpoint
China’s Ministry of Commerce announced on Thursday (January 2) that it would ban the export of dual-use items to 28 US companies and impose sanctions on 10 US military companies involved in arms sales to Taiwan.
The Security and Control Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce of China issued two announcements on Thursday, deciding to include 28 US companies in the export control list and prohibiting the export of dual-use items to them.
Among them, 10 US military companies involved in arms sales to Taiwan were included in the unreliable entity list, including Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, Lockheed Martin Missile Systems Integration Laboratory, Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Laboratory, Lockheed Martin Ventures, Javelin Joint Venture, Raytheon Missile Systems, General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, General Dynamics Information Technology, and General Dynamics Mission Systems.
According to the announcement, the Ministry of Commerce of China has taken four measures against the above 10 companies, including prohibiting them from engaging in import and export activities related to China, making new investments in China, senior corporate executives entering China, and not approving and revoking their work permits, stay or residence qualifications in China.
The number of US military enterprises included in the unreliable entity list has thus risen to 15.
After the Sino-US trade war broke out, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce established a wide-ranging unreliable entity list system in June 2019 to target entities that endanger China’s national security and interests. The authorities previously included five US military enterprises in the list in February 2023 and May 2024 on the grounds of participating in arms sales to Taiwan.
The spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce answered reporters’ questions about the measures on the unreliable entity list on Thursday, saying that the Taiwan issue is China’s internal affairs and concerns China’s core interests, and no external interference will be allowed.
The spokesperson also said that in recent years, 10 companies including Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control have participated in arms sales to Taiwan and carried out so-called military and technical cooperation despite China’s strong opposition, which has seriously damaged China’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity, seriously violated the one-China principle and the provisions of the three Sino-US joint communiqués, and seriously undermined the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait.
The spokesperson stressed that China has always handled the unreliable entity list issue prudently, targeting only a small number of foreign entities that endanger China’s national security. Honest and law-abiding foreign entities have nothing to worry about.
