(AOF) – Beijing did not appreciate that several large groups in the American defense sector are supplying military equipment to Taiwan. The leaders of Boeing Defense and Raytheon, respectively Ted Colbert and Gregory Hayes, thus find themselves in the sights of the Chinese government and will be subject to sanctions. Earlier this month, the US State Department approved the sale of military equipment to Taiwan for $1.1 billion.
These sales included 60 anti-ship missiles and 100 air-to-air missiles, the respective main contractors of which are Boeing Defense, a division of Boeing, and Raytheon.
Colbert and Hayes will be sanctioned “in order to protect China’s sovereignty and security interests”, said Mao Ning, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, citing “their involvement in these arms sales”, indicates the asiafinancial site. .com.
The spokesperson did not specify what the sanctions would entail or how they would be implemented.
In the past, China has sanctioned Raytheon, Boeing Defense and unspecified individuals involved in arms sales to Taiwan. But this is the first time that Beijing has identified and imposed sanctions against individuals working for these companies, the media said.