BEIJING, China: The Chinese foreign ministry has imposed sanctions against 10 individuals and 20 U.S. defence firms, including Boeing's St. Louis branch, on December 26 over arms sales to Taiwan.

A U.S. State Department spokesperson said the United States objected to the Chinese move, which freezes any assets the companies and individuals hold in China and bars domestic organisations and individuals from doing business with them.

The latest Chinese move follows Washington's announcement last week of US$11.1 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, the largest ever U.S. weapons package for the island.

The Chinese action appears symbolic mainly, since China has few dealings with U.S. defense firms, except with Boeing for 500 civilian aircraft.

"The Taiwan issue is the core of China's core interests and the first red line that cannot be crossed in China-U.S. relations," a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said in a statement on December 26.

"Any provocative actions that cross the line on the Taiwan issue will be met with a strong response from China," the statement said, urging the U.S. to cease "dangerous" efforts to arm the island.

China views democratically-governed Taiwan as part of its own territory, a claim Taipei rejects.

The U.S. is bound by law to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, though such arms sales are a persistent source of friction with China.

The State Department spokesperson said this policy had "remained consistent across nine different U.S. administrations and contributes to the maintenance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait."

The spokesperson said the US strongly objected to Beijing's efforts to retaliate against U.S. companies for their support of U.S. arms sales that support Taiwan's self-defense capabilities. It urged Beijing to cease military, diplomatic, and economic pressure against Taiwan and instead engage in meaningful dialogue with Taipei.

Individuals facing sanctions are the founder of defence firm Anduril Industries and nine senior executives from the sanctioned firms. Other companies targeted include Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation and L3Harris Maritime Services, and Boeing's St. Louis branch, which is involved in defense work. They are banned from entering China.