Update on Sino-U.S. Relations

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China has Impose sanctions Former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and six Americans who participated in human rights institutions in retaliation for similar actions taken by Washington against Chinese officials in Hong Kong.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that in addition to sanctions RoseServed in the Trump administration and targeted Caroline Bartholomew, chairman of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, and Sophie Richardson, director of the China Department of Human Rights Watch.

China has also imposed sanctions on officials of the National Institute of Democracy, the International Republican Institute and the Hong Kong Democracy Committee of the United States. It did not specify the content of the sanctions.

The move was made two days before the US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman (Wendy Sherman) was expected to land in China. The second high-level meeting The relationship between the two countries since President Joe Biden took office in January.

This is the first time Beijing has imposed penalties under the new anti-sanctions law, which allows the Chinese government to target individuals or groups that help foreign countries impose sanctions on China.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that China is responding to the United States’ recent decision to impose sanctions on seven mainland Chinese officials stationed in Hong Kong.

When the United States issued sanctions, it also warn As China strengthens its control of this financial center, the risks they face to American companies operating in Hong Kong increase. The Biden administration stated that companies should pay special attention to China’s anti-sanctions laws.

The US concocted the so-called “Hong Kong business consulting”, groundlessly discredited Hong Kong’s business environment, and illegally imposed sanctions on several Hong Kong companies. [Chinese] Officials,” the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. “In response to the wrongdoing of the United States, China has decided to take reciprocal countermeasures. “

The Biden administration did not comment. The United States and the two parties under the Biden administration announced new sanctions against China two days before their first high-level meeting in March in Alaska.

Since the United States announced the latest sanctions, Hong Kong has been targeting those who criticize the government. Five members of a speech therapist union were arrested Thursday for children’s illustrated books and charged with inciting hatred against the government.

Earlier this week, more executives came from Apple DailyThis democracy tabloid, which was shut down under pressure from China, filed accusations under China’s national security law against Hong Kong last year as part of its efforts to combat the Hong Kong democracy movement.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Friday that Hong Kong people have not lost any freedom since the passage of the legislation. “If you look at the stock market, the property market, the technology industry, start-ups, and even the current art and culture, they are all booming.”