As Joe Biden was inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States, China wasted no time in issuing sanctions against former Trump administration officials who they believe had been too interested in advocating for pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong.
According to Bloomberg, China issued this decision to sanction 28 Americans who they allege to have "severely violated China's sovereignty." Those who have been sanctioned include former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, John Bolton, Peter Navarro, and Steve Bannon, who received a presidential pardon.
These sanctions imposed by the Chinese Communist Party will make it impossible for these 28 individuals to enter China legally, including Hong Kong, Macau, and any other territories regulated by China. They also will be prohibited from doing business with China.
The South China Morning Post reported that this is a direct response to sanctions issued by the US against CCP officials over the seemingly inevitable annexation of Hong Kong and the diminishment of the Hong Kong's "special relationship" that allowed it to be an international banking center without communist party interference. The CCP is also allegedly angry about the US' interest in forming a separate relationship with Taiwan outside of the CCP jurisdiction.
Hua Chunying, a Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman, said that the United States had “blatantly intervened” in Hong Kong through the imposition of sanctions on six CCP officials. The US issued these sanctions in response the arrest and detention of more than 50 activists who have been part of the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong.
Hua said that those who were being sanctioned were those officials, staff, and their families, who were "primarily responsible for the vile actions on Hong Kong."
Hua said that "The US must immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong’s affairs and immediately stop using various pretences to interfere in China’s internal affairs, endangering China’s national security," and that the US actions with regard to Hong Kong and Taiwan are leading them down the path of "error and danger."
As Trump departed the White House this morning, the CCP rejoiced, and the state run media issued a "good riddance" tweet.
In early December, the US issued sanctions against 12 CCP officials. Mike Pompeo denounced Chinese leadership and said "Today, I am exercising my authority… to impose visa restrictions on PRC and CCP officials, or individuals active in United Front Work Department activities, who have engaged in the use or threat of physical violence, theft and release of private information, espionage, sabotage, or malicious interference in domestic political affairs, academic freedom, personal privacy, or business activity."
The sanctions were specifically issued by the US after the CCP and the National People's Congress (NCP) enacted legislation to crush their opposition and make any measure of independence in Hong Kong an impossibility. This is the treatment that the US fears the CCP will give to Taiwan next.
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