ANKARA

Beijing sanctioned five US defense industry companies in response to a similar move by Washington, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Sunday.

The move came after the US’ call to sell arms to Taiwan and Washington sanctioned Chinese businesses and individuals for different reasons.

Beijing described the arms sales by Washington to Taiwan as a “blatant violation of the one-China principle,” and Wang criticized “the illegal unilateral sanctions the US has imposed on Chinese companies and individuals under false pretexts,” claiming that they “seriously harm China’s sovereignty and security interests.”

US sanctions also “undermine the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and violate the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of” sanctioned-Chinese actors, said the statement.

“In response to these gravely wrong actions taken by the US and in accordance with China’s Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law, China has decided to sanction five US defense industry companies, namely BAE Systems Land and Armament, Alliant Techsystems Operation, AeroVironment, ViaSat and Data Link Solutions,” read the statement.

“The countermeasures consist of freezing the properties of those companies in China, including their movable and immovable property, and prohibiting organizations and individuals in China from transactions and cooperation with them,” it added.

China, which considers Taiwan a breakaway province, does not recognize the median line or the air defense zone. Taipei, however, has insisted on its independence since 1949.