The US government contemplates sanctions against China, similar to those it is taking against Russia for the invasion of Ukraine, if it attacks Taiwan's sovereignty, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Wednesday.
The Chief Treasury appeared on Monday before the Financial Services Committee of the US House of Representatives and was asked by Republican legislator Patrick McHenry, who called for sanctions against senior Chinese officials in the event of a Beijing aggression against Taiwan, such as those adopted against Russian oligarchs.
“We have already shown that we can. In the case of Russia, we threaten significant consequences and have imposed significant consequences. They should not doubt our ability or resolve to do the same in other situations,” Yellen replied.
The secretary recalled that she has already imposed sanctions on China for other issues, such as “provocations” in Hong Kong, but admitted that she is “worried” about what might happen in Taiwan.
On Wednesday, the US sanctioned Maria and Katerina, the two daughters of Russian President Vladimir Putin; the wife and daughter of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov; and members , including former Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev and the current head of Government Mikhail Mishustin.
The US has also banned, along with its Western partners, new investments in Russia, and has intensified sanctions against the two main banks, Sberbank, and Alfa Bank.
On the other hand, the US also announced the approval of a new sale to Taiwan of military training equipment and services, a measure harshly criticized by China, which claims the island.
The deal exceeds $95 million and is intended to support the US Patriot air defense system installed in Taiwan.
“The proposed sale will help maintain the recipient's (Taiwan) missile density and ensure the readiness of air operations,” the Pentagon Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement on Tuesday.
The US Department of Defense added that Taiwan will use the proposed training and equipment as a “deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen national defense.”
Taiwan welcomed the agreement, the third military sale approved under Joe Biden's presidency to the island country in the Pacific.
“In the face of China's continued expansion and military provocation, Taiwan must fully demonstrate its strong determination to defend itself,” the Taiwanese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Taiwan's defense ministry said the agreement is expected to take effect in a month.
China's foreign ministry condemned the agreement on Wednesday, stating that it “severely harms Sino-American relations, and the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait.”
“China will take decisive and decisive measures to resolutely defend its own interests of sovereignty and security,” said spokesman Zhao Lijian.
The sale comes after a similar February approval that consisted of training and support for Taiwan's missile defense systems. The first major arms sale to Taipei under the Biden administration was in August, with the approval of 40 M109A6 medium self-propelled 155mm self-propelled howitzer artillery systems.
Beijing has greatly increased its belligerence in recent years by sending 969 Chinese fighter jets to the Taiwan air defense zone in 2021, according to a database compiled by the AFP agency. More than double the 380 he sent in 2020.
China refers to Taiwan as its territory and has repeatedly promised to recover it one day, by force if necessary.
Washington has remained Taipei's most important ally and its main arms supplier, even though it changed diplomatic recognition to Beijing in 1979.
(With information from EFE and AFP)
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