China has imposed sanctions on nine US military contractors in retaliation for Washington’s approval of weapons sales to the country’s Taiwan region this week.

On Monday, the US State Department had approved the possible sale to Taipei’s military of spare parts valued at about $228 million.

Taiwan’s defense ministry said the sales package would “become effective” within a month.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a news conference that Washington has to “stop conniving and supporting Taiwan independence, and stop undermining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”

He said that weapon sales to “China’s Taiwan region” had “seriously violated the one-China principle … infringed upon China’s sovereignty and security interests” and “damaged China-US relations.”

In response, Beijing imposes a legal “freeze” on the nine companies’ properties on the mainland, Lin said.

The contactors, including aerospace firm Sierra Nevada Corporation, will have their assets in China frozen and all transactions with China-based people and entities will be prohibited, according to Lin.

China has sovereignty over the self-ruled island. Under the “One China” policy, almost all world countries recognize that sovereignty, meaning that they would not establish diplomatic contact with Taipei.

The US does not formally recognize Taiwan but continues to back its secessionist government, support its anti-China position, and supplies it with billions of dollars in weapons.

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