(Sharecast News) - China said it would impose sanctions on Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon for their involvement in arms sales to Taiwan.
Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian on Monday said the move was to "safeguard our national interest". China regards the island as sovereign territory amid tensions in the region. No specific sanction measures were announced.

The US State Department has approved the potential sale of three weapons systems to Taiwan, including sensors, missiles and artillery that could have a total value of $1.8bn, the Pentagon announced last week.

In response, Zhao said China "decided to take necessary measures and levy sanctions on U.S. companies such as Lockheed Martin, Boeing Defence, and Raytheon, and those individuals and companies who behaved badly in the process of the arms sales".