London Maritime Academy is a trade name for London Premier Group
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12/29/2025, 8:59:20 PM
China's government has imposed sanctions on a large portion of the American naval technology industrial base, including Northrop Grumman, L3Harris Maritime Services, Advanced Acoustic Concepts, and multiple divisions of the defence drone conglomerate Anduril Industries, in reaction to a recent multibillion-dollar U.S. arms sale to Taiwan.
On December 18, the United States unveiled a $10 billion armaments deal for Taiwan. It would be the largest U.S. defence sale to the island ever if Congress approved it and American manufacturers fulfilled it. It is consistent with the administration's goals of advancing the U.S. defence industrial base and motivating allies to protect themselves.
China's foreign ministry voiced strong opposition to the record-breaking arms deal on December 26. Moreover, declaring that the arms deal “seriously violates the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. Joint Communiqués, interferes in China’s internal affairs, and undermines China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the ministry announced that it would impose sanctions on 20 American defence technology companies in retaliation.
Remarkably, China's penalties target some of the largest names in U.S. Navy technology. Blue-chip firms like Northrop Grumman, a defence corporation that supplies numerous weapons and sensor systems for the surface and submarine fleets, and Boeing, the manufacturer of the F/A-18 Hornet fighter series, are on the list.
Besides, both the ship repair and ship services division of L3Harris and its vice president, John Cantillon, are on the list. The list includes the sonar business Advanced Acoustic Concepts (a Thales division) and Leidos' Gibbs & Cox naval architecture division, which co-designed the Constellation-class frigate.
At the Maritime Law Courses in the UK, students examine arms sanctions through an interdisciplinary lens, incorporating international relations, political science, and law. Key topics include the legal frameworks for arms sanctions, particularly those established by the United Nations Security Council and regional entities such as the European Union.
American drone manufacturers are the names that stand out the most on the list. China has already sanctioned the company Anduril, a move that Anduril applauded at the time. As a result, the Chinese Foreign Ministry chose to blacklist Palmer Luckey, the company's CEO, and list two more of its subsidiaries.
Additionally mentioned is Red Cat, the drone firm that owns Blue Ops, a company that develops drone boat technology for the Black Sea. The list also includes Epirus, a company that developed a microwave anti-drone device for the Navy and Marine Corps.
All Chinese businesses and individuals will not be allowed to interact or “cooperate” with any of the listed corporations and personnel, and any assets kept in China will be frozen.
In short, the United States technically recognises China's “one China” policy and has sold Taiwan defensive armaments for decades. Through covert diplomacy and military preparations, such as refocusing the Navy and Marine Corps to prepare for a confrontation in the Western Pacific, it also supports Taiwan's ongoing independence.
