BEIJING (AP) — China says it will impose sanctions on U.S. companies involved in plans for an $8 billion sale of F-16 fighters to Taiwan.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang warned Wednesday that the U.S. should "immediately back away" from the arms sale proposal and end its military interactions with Taiwan.

The Trump administration informed Congress last week that it plans to sell the warplanes despite repeated warnings from China over what it perceives as interference in its internal affairs.

Taiwan is a democratically governed island that broke away from the Communist Party-ruled mainland amid civil war in 1949. China maintains that Taiwan is part of its territory.

Geng did not elaborate on any specific measures planned in response to the arms sale.