The U.S. sanctions Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam and their allies, including 11 Chinese officials over their roles in lessening political liberty in the former U.K. colony, an satement by Treasury Department.
“The United States stands with the people of Hong Kong and we will use our tools and authorities to target those undermining their autonomy,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said .
Meanwhile Carrie was sanctioned because she is “directly responsible for implementing Beijing’s policies of suppression of freedom and democratic processes,” the agency said.
Individually sanctionedinclude Xia Baolong the director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of China’s State Council, and Chris Tang, commissioner of the Hong Kong Police Force.
Now the targeted officials will have any property and assets in the U.S. will be frozen but it’s yet to clear whether any will be affected financially.
“The U.S.’s inappropriate comments on the National Security Law smack of political manipulation and double standards,” the Hong Kong government said in a statement.It is a gross interference in China’s internal affairs and a grave violation of basic norms governing international relations,” it said.
