China's sanctions on U.S. arms dealers "normal law enforcement action": official

BEIJING, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Commerce said on Friday that the action of adding two U.S. companies that sold arms to China's Taiwan region onto the unreliable entities list and taking corresponding measures is a normal law enforcement action.

In recent years, Lockheed Martin Corporation and Raytheon Missiles &Defense have repeatedly sold arms to Taiwan despite China's strong opposition, seriously damaging China's national security, sovereignty and territorial integrity, a spokesperson of the ministry said in a statement.

China's action is in accordance with the Foreign Trade Law, the National Security Law, and other relevant laws, as well as article 2 of the regulation on the unreliable entities list, the spokesperson said.

The ministry announced the decision to put the two companies on the list on Thursday.

The Taiwan question is China's internal affair and concerns China's core interests, and no external interference will be tolerated, the spokesperson said, stressing that the one-China principle is a universally recognized basic norm governing international relations and a consensus in the international community.

The two companies' sales of missiles, fighter jets and other offensive weapons to Taiwan have severely undermined China's national security, sovereignty and territorial integrity, seriously violated the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, and seriously jeopardized peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, the spokesperson said.

In accordance with the law, China will hold accountable those entities that seriously undermine China's sovereignty, security and development interests, the spokesperson said.

Responding to whether the launch of the unreliable entities list means a shift in China's attitude to foreign investment, the spokesperson said there is no need for foreign-funded enterprises to worry.

The application of the regulation on the unreliable entities list is strictly limited in its scope, which targets very few foreign entities that violated China's law and will not be expanded at will, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson stressed that the Chinese government is firmly committed to promoting high-standard opening up, upholding the multilateral trading system, and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of various market entities.

It has been made clear at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the Central Economic Work Conference that China will make greater efforts to attract and utilize foreign investment, the spokesperson said.

The Chinese government will continue to welcome foreign companies to invest and do business in China and build a market-oriented, law-based and international business environment, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson noted that China's action is in line with the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and said China always supports the multilateral trading system represented by the WTO and free trade, and promotes the healthy development of the world economy and trade.