China sanctions US officials over Hong Kong; escalates further tensions
24 July, 2021 | Rakshanda Afrin
China on Friday imposed sanctions on seven US individuals and entity, under Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law, in response to the US penalties imposed on the Hong Kong officials.
China on Friday imposed sanctions on seven US individuals and entity, under Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law, in response to the US penalties imposed on the Hong Kong officials over crackdown of democracy in the semi-autonomous region. Last week, the United States had imposed Hong Kong-related sanctions on seven individuals and warned companies of the risks of doing business in the territory.
The list of seven US individuals and entity include former US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Louis Ross; Chairman of US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) Carolyn Bartholomew. In response the US said it is “undeterred” and added that it is “fully committed” to implementing all relevant Washington sanctions authorities.
The sanctions come days before Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman is to visit China, making her the most senior U.S. official to visit the country during the Biden administration.
The punitive actions reportedly target individuals from the Hong Kong liaison office. Earlier, a notice by the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) indicated that seven Hong Kong-based Chinese officials have been added to OFAC’s list of Specially Designated Nationals.