The announcement comes as the top decision-making body of China’s parliament deliberates a draft national security law for Hong Kong that pro-democracy activists in the city fear will be used to eliminate dissent and tighten Beijing’s control. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, who announced the new sanctions during a press briefing in response to a question about Washington’s new visa restrictions, did not specify which US individuals have been targeted. “The US is attempting to obstruct China’s legislation for safeguarding national security in the HK SAR (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) by imposing the so-called sanctions, but it will never succeed,” he told reporters. It includes secondary sanctions on banks that do business with anyone backing any crackdown on the territory’s autonomy. Zhao, the foreign ministry spokesman, told reporters that China has lodged a complaint with the US over the bill and warned that Beijing will respond with strong countermeasures in response to US actions on Hong Kong.

Source: bd News24 June 29, 2020 08:26 UTC