TAIPEI: Taiwan’s defence minister on Monday (Apr 27) downplayed the influence of Chinese sanctions on seven European companies over arms gross sales to the island, saying it was not the primary time China had taken such motion and it will not have an effect on Taipei’s skill to supply weapons.
China’s Commerce Ministry on Friday banned exports of dual-use objects to the seven corporations over arms gross sales to Taiwan, inserting them on its export management listing, in a uncommon case of Europe-targeted, Taiwan-related sanctions.
Taiwan, which China views as its personal territory, will get most of its weapons from the USA. Europe has not offered any big-ticket objects like fighter jets to Taipei for round three a long time, petrified of elevating the ire of Beijing.
Taking lawmaker questions at parliament, Taiwan Defence Minister Wellington Koo stated it was not the primary time China had applied such blacklist measures.
“Nevertheless, I believe such an motion, as I perceive it, doesn’t have an effect on our skill to proceed sourcing items via related diversified channels,” he added, with out elaborating.
Whereas many international locations, particularly in Europe, are nervous about any defence cooperation with Taiwan resulting from fears of Chinese language retaliation, Taipei has discovered an more and more sympathetic ear in elements of Central and Jap Europe, particularly since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
4 of the seven corporations on the brand new Chinese language listing are Czech.
China has repeatedly sanctioned main US arms makers over gross sales to Taiwan, most lately in December following the US announcement of a US$11 billion weapons sale package to the island.
