US imposes new sanction on Beijing over South China Sea

Trump administration on Thursday imposed new sanctions on Chinese officials over Beijing's increasing assertiveness in South China Sea. penalties are yet ar Trump administration move that may make President-elect Joe Biden's diplomacy with China more difficult when he takes office next week.

In its waning days, Trump administration put in place travel bans on an unspecified number of Chinese officials and ir families for what it said were violations of international standards regarding freedom of navigation in those waters. administration also said it was adding China's state oil company, China National Offshore Oil Corporation, to a list of companies with which U.S. citizens are banned from doing business.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo anunced sanctions less than a week Inauguration Day, next Wednesday, in what is latest in a series of last-minute U.S. moves against China.

“ United States stands with Souast Asian claimant states seeking to defend ir sovereign rights and interests, consistent with international law,” Pompeo said. “We will continue to act until we see Beijing cease its coercive behavior in South China Sea.”

Since fall of 2019, administration has steadily pressured China over human rights issues in Tibet, Hong Kong and western region of Xinjiang, as well as over trade, Taiwan and Chinese response to coronavirus pandemic. On Wednesday, administration banned import to U.S. of some agricultural goods, provoking an angry response from Beijing.

Thursday's move affects Chinese officials and ors involved in South China Sea activities. anuncement did t specific which officials would be targeted but many may be covered under previous actions,

In July, Pompeo anunced that U.S. would reject virtually all of China's maritime claims in South China Sea, which are disputed by most of China's smaller neighbors.