The United States on Monday approved the sale of 100 Harpoon coastal defence systems worth $ 2.4 billion to Taiwan.
Earlier in the day, China announced it would impose sanctions against US companies involved in previous arms sales to the island, which China contemplates a renegade province.
The proposed transaction “will improve Taiwan’s defence capabilities,” the US State Department said in a statement.
Last week, the ministry already approved the sale of 135 air-to-ground missiles to the island.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian previously urged the US to “stop the sale of weapons to the island.”