HONG KONG โ Chinaโs foreign ministry announced plans to impose sanctions on certain U.S. officials, lawmakers, and leaders of non-governmental organizations accused of handling Hong Kong issues inadequately. This announcement follows the United Statesโ decision in March to sanction six Chinese and Hong Kong officials for alleged involvement in โtransnational repressionโ and actions undermining the cityโs autonomy. The sanctioned officials included prominent names like Justice Secretary Paul Lam and security office director Dong Jingwei.
On Monday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun condemned these U.S. actions as โdespicableโ and accused the U.S. of seriously interfering in Hong Kongโs affairs, in violation of international law. Guo declared that China will proceed with sanctions against U.S. congress members and NGO leaders perceived as mishandling Hong Kong-related issues, citing Chinaโs anti-foreign sanctions law in this retaliatory decision. However, he did not specify the individuals targeted by these sanctions.
Guo also emphasized that Hong Kongโs affairs are outside U.S. jurisdiction, warning that actions deemed inappropriate by China on Hong Kong issues will provoke resolute counteractions and reciprocal retaliation. This ongoing spat over human rights in Hong Kong is yet another indication of escalating tensions between Beijing and Washington, already entangled in a trade conflict adversely affecting businesses on both sides.
Meanwhile, Beijing cautioned other nations on Monday against entering into trade agreements with the U.S. that would disadvantage China. The U.S. sanctioning of officials earlier this year is not without precedent; the Trump administration had previously imposed sanctions to address similar concerns about Hong Kongโs autonomy. President Bidenโs administration continued this approach in 2021, targeting officials linked to Beijingโs suppression of political freedoms in the city.
The 2020 imposition of a national security law by China, purported to address the large-scale 2019 protests, marked a turning point as authorities cracked down on activists, shutting down critical media outlets and disbanding numerous civil society organizations. Hong Kong authorities tracked down 19 overseas activists, some residing in the U.S., offering bounties for their arrest.
These stringent measures have drawn international criticism, primarily due to Hong Kongโs promise during the 1997 handover from British to Chinese control, to preserve its Western-style civil liberties and semi-autonomy for half a century. Nevertheless, both Beijing and Hong Kong governments defend the law as essential for sustaining the cityโs stability.