China announced on Tuesday that it will impose visa restrictions on certain US personnel accused of “behaving badly” and “interfering” in Hong Kong-related affairs. This decision serves as a countermeasure to Washington’s ongoing sanctions against Chinese officials linked to the controversial national security law in Hong Kong.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning made the announcement during a press conference, stating that Beijing has already communicated its position to Washington. “The United States, by using Hong Kong-related issues to impose indiscriminate visa restrictions on Chinese officials, has grossly interfered in China’s internal affairs and seriously violated the principles of international law and basic norms governing international relations,” Mao asserted.
She emphasized that Hong Kong’s affairs are internal matters for China and urged the US to respect the nation’s sovereignty and the city’s legal framework. Mao called for an end to US interference, reaffirming Beijing’s commitment to safeguarding its national sovereignty, security, and development interests.
This latest action follows the US State Department’s recent announcement of fresh sanctions on officials involved in enforcing the national security law. The sanctions were prompted by the jailing of 45 opposition figures for up to 10 years for subversion related to their roles in a 2020 unofficial “primary” election, which a court deemed a plot to overthrow Hong Kong’s government.
In a previous statement, Hong Kong authorities criticized the US sanctions as “a despicable political maneuver” aimed at intimidating personnel responsible for maintaining national security. The current tensions mirror similar measures taken in 2020 when the Trump administration sanctioned 11 Chinese and Hong Kong officials, including former Chief Executive Carrie Lam and current leader John Lee, for their roles in implementing the national security law.
The sanctions, imposed by the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, blocked the US-based assets of the targeted individuals and prohibited Americans and businesses from engaging with them. The US claimed these actions and policies undermine “the peace, security, stability or autonomy of Hong Kong.”
