 "In a tit-for-tat, China to impose visa curbs on US officials over ‘Hong Kong-related issues’")
Beijing on Tuesday announced new visa restrictions on US officials for “behaving poorly on Hong Kong-related issues”. The move comes after Washington threatened to sanction individuals responsible for implementing the national security law.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry made the announcement saying, “The United States, by using Hong Kong-related issues to impose indiscriminate visa restrictions on Chinese officials, has grossly interfered in China’s internal affairs and seriously violated the principles of international law and basic norms governing international relations.”
“China has decided to impose visa restrictions on US personnel who have behaved poorly on Hong Kong-related issues,” spokeswoman Mao Ning said.
She emphasised that Hong Kong’s local affairs are internal to the country and asked the US to respect China’s sovereignty, and the city’s legal system, and “stop interfering in Hong Kong’s life by any means.”
US threatens sanctions
In 2020, the US Congress approved a bill to sanction banks conducting business with Chinese officials involved in the imposition of national security law in Hong Kong.
Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen, a lead sponsor of the “Hong Kong Autonomy Act", said at the time, “This is an urgent moment. Our timing could not be more critical. Through this bill, the US Senate makes clear which side we are on.”
Last month, the US State Department pledged to implement new sanctions, including visa restrictions, targeting several officials in response to the imprisonment of 45 opposition figures for subversion under the national security law.
The 45 activists received prison sentences ranging from four years and two months to 10 years for their involvement in an unofficial “primary” election in 2020, which the court deemed a scheme to overthrow the Hong Kong government.
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