China to Retaliate With Sanctions      04/21 06:17

   

   HONG KONG (AP) -- China will sanction United States officials, lawmakers and 
leaders of non-governmental organizations who it says have "performed poorly" 
on Hong Kong issues, the foreign ministry announced.

   The U.S. in March sanctioned six Chinese and Hong Kong officials who it 
alleged were involved in "transnational repression" and acts threatening to 
further erode the city's autonomy. The officials included Justice Secretary 
Paul Lam, security office director Dong Jingwei and former police commissioner 
Raymond Siu.

   In a retaliatory move against Washington, D.C., on Monday, Chinese foreign 
ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun in Beijing said China strongly condemned the 
acts, calling them "despicable." The U.S. has seriously interfered in the 
affairs of Hong Kong and violated international law principles, he said

   "China has decided to impose sanctions on U.S. congressmen, officials, and 
NGO leaders who have performed poorly on Hong Kong-related issues," Guo said, 
adding the response was made according to the anti-foreign sanctions law.

   He did not provide more details about who is being targeted.

   Guo also issued a warning about Hong Kong, saying the southern Chinese 
city's affairs are not subject to U.S. interference. Any actions considered 
wrong by the Chinese government that are taken on Hong Kong-related issues will 
be met with firm countermeasures and reciprocal retaliation, he said.

   The tit-for-tat sanctions over Hong Kong's human rights issues are the 
latest sign of rising tensions between Beijing and Washington, which are 
already locked in a trade war that has rattled businesses on both sides.

   Beijing separately warned other countries on Monday against making trade 
deals with the U.S. to China's detriment.

   The U.S. sanctions on officials in March were not the first related to the 
former British colony, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997. During Donald 
Trump's first presidential term, his government imposed sanctions on Hong Kong 
and Chinese officials for undermining Hong Kong's autonomy.

   In 2021, former President Joe Biden's administration slapped more sanctions 
on officials over Beijing's crackdown on political freedoms in the 
semi-autonomous city.

   Since China imposed a national security law in 2020 to quell the 2019 
massive anti-government protests, Hong Kong authorities have prosecuted many of 
the city's leading activists. Media outlets known for their critical reports of 
the government shut down following arrests of their top management. Dozens of 
civil society groups disbanded.

   Over the past two years, Hong Kong authorities have issued arrest warrants 
for 19 activists based overseas, with bounties of $1 million Hong Kong dollars 
($128,536) for information leading to each of their arrests. Some of them 
resided in the U.S.

   The years-long crackdown has drawn criticism from foreign governments, 
especially because the city was promised its Western-style civil liberties and 
semi-autonomy would be kept intact for at least 50 years during the 1997 
handover.

   The Beijing and Hong Kong governments insist the law is necessary for the 
city's stability.