Freedom Trumps Sanctions on the Taiwan Strait

A Taiwan destroyer launches a surface to air missile during exercises meant to simulate an attack by the People’s Republic of China, near the east coast of Taiwan on Sept. 26, 2013. The Trump administration has recently taken steps to strengthen cooperation between the U.S. and Taiwan militaries. Sam Yeh/AFP/Getty Images

As it did in 2010 and 2015, the United States should defy Chinese threats to impose economic sanctions against U.S. companies that make weapons sold to democratic Taiwan, as these arms sales help preserve a peace that is in the highest interest of Americans, Taiwanese and Chinese.

This time China’s fury is directed at the July 8, 2019 Trump Administration announcement of a $2.2 billion arms package for Taiwan, including 108 General Dynamics M1A2T Abrams main battle tanks and 250 Raytheon Stinger shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles.