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The US has imposed sanctions on senior Chinese security officials and Hong Kong for transnational pressure and degradation of territorial autonomy in an important action against Beijing by the Trump administration.
Washington imposed sanctions on six officials, including the Hong Kong Police Commissioner in response to China’s blow to pro-democracy activists in the territory.
Officials in Beijing and Hong Kong “have used the laws of Hong Kong of national security in an extraterritorial manner to intimidate, silent and harass 19 pro-democracy activists who were forced to flee abroad, including an American citizen and four other American residents,” the State Department said on Monday.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement that the six were being penalized for “their role as Hong Kong government leaders or officials who have engaged in actions or policies that have degraded Hong Kong’s autonomy, including in relation to the transnational oppression aimed at individuals residing in the United States,” and their roles in the development and implementation of national law.
The law imposes life imprisonment for betrayal and increases penalties for crimes such as seduction. It has sparked concerns that civil freedoms are eroding while China exercises more control over the territory. Hong Kong has struggled to repair her global reputation since Beijing entered his blow.
Individuals targeted by USA are all security or police officials, including Dong Jingwei, a senior figure in the Ministry of Security of China, the main civil intelligence organization of the country and Raymond Siu, Commissioner of Hong Kong police force. Others are Sonny Au, Dick Wong, Margaret Chiu and Paul Lam.
Trump administration measure comes the day before it discovers so -called reciprocal tariffs around the world when it is expected to impose additional tariffs on Beijing.
Since President Donald Trump took office, he has imposed 20 percent of China’s goods taxes, which the White House said they were intended to press on Beijing to hit companies making the components for Fentanyl.
Monday’s sanctions come after the administration placed dozens of Chinese entities on a black export list in an effort to slow China’s ability to develop advanced artificial intelligence chips, hypersonic weapons and military -related technologies.
New sanctions capture where the administration left during Trump’s first presidency. At the end of his first term in 2021, the president took a series of actions against China, including setting sanctions on senior Chinese officials in response to the pro-democracy hit in Hong Kong.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not respond immediately to a comment request.
