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The sanctions come just ahead of the first face-to-face talks between China and the United States since President Joe Biden took office perhaps an early signal that the tensions built up over the previous administration aren’t likely to disappear.
The US imposed these sanctions in the wake of China’s most recent crackdown on Hong Kong’s democracy and freedoms. Last week, the Chinese government agreed to new electoral rules in its rubber-stamp parliament, changes that attempt to stamp out the territory’s pro-democracy opposition and guarantee that pro-Beijing “patriots” consolidate power there.
Among those targeted with sanctions are high-ranking officials in the National People’s Congress Standing Committee and officials in the Hong Kong Police Force’s National Security Division and the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office.
US sanctions Chinese officials over the latest crackdown on Hong Kong s democracy msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
In Hong Kong, âone unpatriotic politician is too many,â Zhang Xiaoming, deputy director of Beijingâs Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, told a press conference Friday.
It was one day after Chinaâs parliament had rubber-stamped a sweeping overhaul of Hong Kongâs electoral system â the biggest change since 1997, when Beijing regained sovereignty over the former British colony. The revamping effectively excludes pro-democracy candidates, part of a broader tightening of controls after two years of mass protests in the city of 7.5 million people.Â
Why We Wrote This
Sweeping changes in Hong Kong aim to put patriots in charge. But what is patriotism? Beijingâs definition contrasts sharply with many Hong Kongersâ.
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Top Beijing officials are expected to meet more than 1,000 Hong Kong business leaders and pro-establishment politicians next week to solicit their feedback on plans for the drastic overhaul of the city’s electoral system, sources say.
Two government sources told the
Post that the meetings, to be held from Monday to Wednesday, would be presided over by Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office deputy directors Zhang Xiaoming, Song Zhe and Huang Liuquan.
One Beijing-based source said the series of meetings was intended to “hear the feedback on further details” of the proposed changes to Hong Kong’s elections system after the National People’s Congress (NPC) passed a resolution on Thursday paving the way for the overhaul by a near-unanimous vote.