China To Sanction American Companies Selling Weapons To Taiwan

www.zerohedge.com

When it comes to tail risks that could cause WWIII, simmering tensions around Taiwan and Beijing's increasingly belligerent rhetoric probably rank as one of the most probable. Since at least the beginning of the year, President Xi has warned that 'reunification' between Taiwan and the mainland is inevitable, and hinted that Beijing wouldn't hesitate to attack any foreign power that tries to stop China. In response, Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen has insisted that the people of Taiwan would 'never' tolerate rule by the Communist Party, and insisted that the island's military would fight.

In the middle of this, Washington has okayed the sale of $2.2 billion in weapons, including missiles and tanks, to Taiwan. The decision outraged Beijing, which accused Washington of interfering in its relations with its wayward province.
Now - at a time when Peter Navarro said that trade talks are going "great" - Beijing is moving ahead with an unexpected escalation: China's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Geng Shuang said in a statement that Beijing intends to impose sanctions on American companies selling arms to Taiwan.

That list likely includes most of the major American defense contractors, particularly General Dynamics, the maker of the Abrams tank, and Raytheon, maker of the Stinger missile - two of the armaments being purchased by Taiwan.

• CHINA SAYS TO SANCTION U.S. FIRMS INVOLVED IN TAIWAN ARMS SALES
• U.S. GOVT IN `TOTAL DISREGARD' OF CHINA, MINSTER WANG YI SAYS
• WANG YI: U.S. SHOULDN'T HAVE OFFICIAL RELATIONS WITH TAIWAN

The announce comes as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned during a trip to Hungary on Friday that Washington must end its dealings with Taiwan, saying that continuing would be like "playing with fire."

He added that no foreign power will be able to prevent China's reunification with its runaway province. Though the US has vowed to protect Taiwan should the mainland try to invade. Wang added that the US government is in 'total disregard' of China.

And just like that, the prospects for moving from trade war to military confrontation with Beijing have climbed considerably.

NOW財經

【Now新聞台】台灣的蔡英文總統過境美國，前往加勒比海友邦訪問，引起北京不滿。正在匈牙利的外長王毅警告美國不要玩火，外交部已向美方提出嚴正交涉，並表示會制裁對台售武的美國企業。

美國日前批准向台灣出售22億美元軍備，包括過百架M1A2T主戰坦克，這款坦克的製造商是美國國防工業承包商通用動力公司。

北京傍晚發聲明表示，會制裁參與對台售武的美國企業。外交部指摘美方嚴重違反國際法和國際關係基本準則，嚴重違反一個中國原則和中美三個聯合公報規定，中方制裁相關美國企業是要維護國家利益，但聲明中沒有點名是哪些企業。

正在匈牙利訪問的外長王毅亦警告，美方不要在涉台問題上玩火。對於蔡英文過境美國，外交部亦已向美方提出嚴正交涉。

蔡英文是在周四展開啟程，出訪加勒比海邦交國，在紐約逗留兩日期間，出席友邦駐聯合國常任代表的歡迎酒會，是台灣總統首次在聯合國所在地紐約會見友邦聯合國常任代表。

蔡英文強調，台灣不會屈服於恫嚇，所面對的挑戰只會加強台灣躋身國際社會的決心，又表示會繼續加強跟美國的關係。

回程時蔡英文亦會在美國過境。今次她會在美國停留四日，逗留的時間較以往長，有分析認為，足以凸顯特朗普政府對蔡英文的支持。