Hong Kong condemns US sanctions against six officials over National Security Law

Government of Hong Kong on January 15 lashed out at the United States for imposing retaliatory sanctions against six officials over the controversial National Security Law. Calling the sanctions "insane, shameless and despicable”, the Hong Kong government told South China Morning Post that it extended full support to Beijing to adopt appropriate “countermeasures”. However, US Home Treasury said in a statement that it issued sanctions against Hong Kong under the legal framework and the executive orders issued by President Donald Trump. 

According to China’s state-run SCMP, Hing Kong accused the US of using ‘coercive measures’ and interfering in the city’s internal matters and ‘flagrant violation’ of the commitments. US list of banned officials from Hong Kong included the city's sole delegate to China's top legislative body, Tam Yiu-Chung as a retaliatory measure for the arrest of pro-democracy activists by the Hong Kong police's national security unit. Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-Ngor's administration berated the Trump administration for using ‘coercive measures’ against Hong Kong, for exercising measures to safeguard national security. 

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PRC’s actions ‘appalling’

"The US government has exploited every incident and excuse to make slandering remarks about the national security law and attack the [People's Republic of China] and the [Hong Kong Special Administrative Region] authorities in their dutiful, faithful and lawful implementation of the law," the spokesman for Lam’s administration said. "We cannot help but suspect that the national security law has touched a nerve with foreign or external forces,” ANI quoted the spokesman as saying. This comes as US secretary of state Mike Pompeo condemned the political crackdown in Hong Kong, calling PRC’s actions ‘appalling’.

 “We condemn [People's Republic of China's] actions that erode Hong Kong's freedoms and democratic processes and will continue to use all tools at our disposal to hold those responsible to account," Pompeo said in a statement. Hong Kong arrested more than 50 pro-democracy activists, including the detention of Legislative Council members, an American lawyer, and a former law professor that were later granted bail. Pompeo accused the blacklisted officials of having “engaged in, or whose members have engaged in, developing, adopting, or implementing the National Security Law."

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