#China sanctions six major GOP lawmakers over Hong Kong retaliation

China has imposed sanctions on 11 US citizens, including six prominent US lawmakers, for their response to “Hong Kong-related issues,” the country’s foreign ministry announced Monday.

“In response to those wrong US behaviors, China has decided to impose sanctions on individuals who have behaved egregiously on Hong Kong-related issues,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said.

Among those targeted were Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Ted Cruz (R-Tx.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), as well as Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ).

Beijing’s sanctions did not include any Trump administration officials, and Zhao did not specify what the sanctions would entail.

The move comes in response to the US imposition of sanctions on 11 Hong Kong and Chinese officials accused of curtailing political freedoms in Hong Kong, a former British colony that was handed back to the Communist nation in 1997.

Under an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on Friday, the US imposed sanctions on Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam as well as the city’s current and former police chiefs — freezing any US assets owned by those people and generally barring Americans from doing business with them.

The US lawmakers targeted by Beijing have been vocal critics of a national security law the communist nation imposed on Hong Kong, which has maintained a semi-autonomous system separate from that of mainland China.

In June, China approved a contentious national security law that permits authorities to crack down on subversive and secessionist activity in Hong Kong.

The legislation was passed amid warnings and criticism both in Hong Kong and internationally that it would be used to curb opposition voices.

“The relevant actions of the US blatantly intervened in Hong Kong affairs, grossly interfered in China’s internal affairs, and seriously violated international law and the basic norms of international relations,” Zhao Lijian told reporters Monday.

“China urges the US to have a clear understanding of the situation, correct mistakes and immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs and interfering in China’s internal affairs,” he continued.

Aside from Hong Kong matters, relations between the two countries had already been deteriorating amid the coronavirus pandemic.

China has faced considerable criticism in recent months over its handling of the contagion and its push to weaken Hong Kong’s autonomy.

As a result, they have gone on the defense, engaging in a global smear campaign against President Trump, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and any other global critics.

Last month, China sanctioned Rubio, Cruz and Smith for accusing Beijing of committing human rights abuses in its treatment of the Uighurs, a Muslim group being forcibly detained in concentration camps in the Xinjiang province.

The three were banned from traveling to the Communist country.

With Post Wires