China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOC) has announced the addition of 10 U.S. companies to its unreliable entities list, citing their involvement in arms sales to the Taiwan region.
The list includes prominent firms such as Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, and Lockheed Martin Missile System Integration Lab. These companies are now prohibited from engaging in import or export activities related to the Chinese mainland and are barred from making new investments within China, according to the MOC’s announcement on Thursday.
Senior executives from these companies face personal repercussions as well. They are banned from entering China, with their work permits and visas revoked, and any future applications will not be approved, the ministry stated.
The MOC emphasized that despite China’s strong opposition, these companies have continued to engage in arms sales and “so-called” military technology cooperation with the Taiwan region in recent years. Such actions, the ministry asserted, severely undermine China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, violate the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, and destabilize peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
“These companies will be held legally accountable,” the MOC declared, underscoring the gravity of the situation.
The ministry clarified that the unreliable entity provisions are specifically targeted at a select few foreign entities that threaten China’s national security. “The Chinese government always welcomes foreign companies to invest and expand their businesses in China,” the MOC stated, adding that China is committed to providing a stable, fair, and predictable business environment for law-abiding companies operating within its borders.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
