China to impose visa restrictions on US individuals over Hong Kong

BEIJING (Reuters) – Beijing said on Monday it will impose visa restrictions on US individuals with “egregious conduct” in matters related to Hong Kong, reflecting US sanctions against unidentified Chinese officials held responsible for curbing freedoms in the city.

The announcement comes as China’s main parliament decision-making body deliberates on a national security bill for Hong Kong that pro-democracy activists in the city fear will be used to eliminate dissent and reinforce control of Beijing.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, who announced the new sanctions during a press conference in response to a question about Washington’s new visa restrictions, did not specify which US individuals have been targeted.

“The United States is trying to obstruct China’s legislation to safeguard national security in the Hong Kong SAR (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) by imposing the so-called sanctions, but it will never succeed,” he told reporters.

“In response … China has decided to impose visa restrictions on American individuals with atrocious conduct in matters related to HK.”

United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said last week that the new Washington visa restrictions apply to “current and former” officials of the ruling Communist Party of China “who are believed to be responsible or complicit in undermine Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy. ”

The United States Senate also passed a bill last week that would impose mandatory sanctions on individuals or companies that support efforts to restrict Hong Kong’s autonomy. It includes secondary sanctions for banks that do business with anyone who supports any offensive against the autonomy of the territory.

Zhao, the Foreign Ministry spokesman, told reporters that China has filed a complaint with the United States over the bill and warned that Beijing will respond with strong countermeasures in response to the United States’ actions in Hong Kong.