On Monday, the day before Taiwan’s national inauguration, China accused three British defense contractors of selling arms to the island. They were added to the country’s Uncertain Entity List.
The Taiwanese Commerce Ministry announced its decision to censure three United States companies, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, General Dynamics Land Systems and Boeing Defense, Space &, Security.  ,
The three companies ‘ senior executives are prohibited from entering or staying in China, according to the report, and they are also prohibited from further investment there.
Additionally, it mandated that Boeing Defense, Space &, Security give a great equal to two times what it had received from its arms sales to Taiwan. After winning a US$ 35 million commitment to provide Taiwan with Harpoon missiles, China sanctioned the business ‘ president in 2022.  ,
In fact, because of their weapons talks with Taiwan, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and General Dynamics Land Systems were now having their coast property frozen by the Chinese government on April 11.  ,
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems won a commitment to provide Taiwan with MQ- 9B SkyGuardian unmanned aerial vehicles ( Aircraft ) in March of this year.  ,
In 2019, Taiwan asked to buy 108 products of M1A2T Abrams tanks from General Dynamics Land Systems. This time, the second batch of 38 vehicles may be delivered.
Caplugs slapped
Even on Monday, the Ministry of Commerce urged a system of Caplugs, a New York- based protective cover manufacturer, to stop supplying products to those on China’s Uncertain Entity List, quite as Lockheed Martin Corp and Raytheon Missiles &, Defense.
According to the facts,” Caplugs has avoided Chinese sanctions by transferring products purchased from China to businesses already listed on the list of unreliable entities,” it said.
” When conducting trade company with Caplugs, local companies should be aware of the dangers of improper payments”, it said.  ,
They may perform due diligence, improve their duty of care, and take appropriate steps to make sure that appropriate products, solutions, and services are not transferred to foreign entities on the list of unreliable entities.
Lai’s speech
Beijing made the decision as William Lai Ching-te assumed the office of Tsai Ing-wen’s replacement on Monday as the new Taiwanese President.
In his inauguration speech, Lai said,” China must stop making verbal and military threats to Taiwan, and should assume its global responsibilities with Taiwan to help maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and the region and ensure that the world is free from the fear of war.”
” Taiwanese people love peace and are kind to others”, he said. ” Peace, mutual benefit, coexistence, and common prosperity across the Taiwan Strait should be our common goals if country leaders place the welfare of the people at the top of their priority list.”
He stated that Taiwan will strengthen its national defenses and strengthen its legal framework to defend itself from threats and infiltrations from China.  ,
He added that the island will collaborate with democratic nations to create a peaceful community to deter conflict, avoid war, and advance toward peace through force.
Reuters reported on May 14 that the US and Taiwanese navies conducted day-long exercises in April, citing unnamed sources. A source said the drills did not officially take place as both sides agreed that their warships would only have “unplanned sea encounters” and practice “basic” operations such as communications, refueling and resupply.
A total of 26 People’s Liberation Army ( PLA ) aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait’s median line or its extension on May 15th, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense, at 6am that day.  ,
The 77th WHA
When Kuomintang’s Ma Ying- jeou was Taiwanese President between 2009 and 2016, Taiwan participated as an observer in the World Health Assembly ( WHA ) under the designation” Chinese Taipei”.
However, the island’s representative was not invited to the WHA between 2017 and the previous year because Beijing argued that Taiwan cannot be a separate UN member under UN Resolution 2758.  ,
US State Secretary Antony Blinken stated on May 1 that the US strongly encourages the World Health Organization ( WHO ) to reopen an invitation to Taiwan to participate as an observer at the 77th WHA, which will take place on May 27 through June 1.
A bipartisan group of US senators put forth a resolution on May 15 to accuse China of “misusing and misinterpreting” UN Resolution 2758 and misrepresenting its contents to imply acceptance of Beijing’s “one China principle.”  ,
Republican Senator Jim Risch said Washington’s” one China “policy is not equivalent to Beijing’s” one China “principle.  ,
Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen stated that the US will continue to be” committed to Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations and to a peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues.”
Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry, stated on May 15 that the People’s Republic of China is the country’s sole legal representative and that there is only one seat for China at the UN. He said the UN Resolution 2758 rules out the possibility of having” two Chinas “or” one China, one Taiwan.”
Taiwan has not yet received an invitation to participate in the WHO’s annual assembly as of Monday.  ,
Read: Chinese warn of US military aid’s warning about the Taiwan crisis
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