China Adds Lockheed Martin and Raytheon to Blacklist Over Taiwanese Arms Sales
Jose Nino
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On February 16, 2023, China’s Ministry of Commerce announced measures to black list Raytheon and Lockheed Martin for their role in allegedly undermining Chinese sovereignty. The two arms firms were added to the “unreliable entities list” of companies.
They are prohibited from export and import activities connected to China. It announced that punitive measures were enacted due to the two companies potentially endangering China’s “national sovereignty” or security interests.
In September 2022, Raytheon Missiles and Defense, received a $412-million contract to bolster Taiwanese military radar systems as part of a broader $1.1-billion package of US arms sales to the island.
Lockheed Martin has supplied the Taiwanese military with air traffic control, helicopters, and radar equipment. In addition, Lockheed has played a significant role in Taiwan’s development of its own fighter jets and navy vessels.
China’s punitive actions towards American military-industrial complex entities are nothing new. Back in February 2022, China sanctioned the two companies over a $100 million arms sale to Taiwan.
Currently, the two companies are prohibited from carrying out further investment in China and its senior managers are prohibited from entering the US.
Taiwan is one of the major red lines for China. Most of the world recognizes the “One China” policy, where China holds sovereignty over Taiwan. Ironically, the US has nominally abided by this policy, but has drifted away from the policy in recent years by fomenting moves that appear to be pro-Taiwanese independence in nature.
One of the key ways the US has fostered more pro-independence moves is by arming Taiwan to the teeth. At the end of the day, Taiwan is not worth the lives of thousands of US soldiers and sailors. If we’re going to get tough on China, it’s by shutting down Confucius Institutes in the US, decoupling trade from it, and banning immigration from it.
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