Washington: The United States is preparing to impose sanctions on Friday at a number of Chinese officials on the crackdown in Beijing about democracy in Hong Kong, and warns international businesses operating there about deteriorating conditions, two people with knowledge about the situation told Reuters.
Sources say financial sanctions will target seven officials from the Hong Kong Chinese Liaison Office, the official platform that projects the influence of Beijing to China.
A separate updated business adviser released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will highlight the concerns of the US government about the impact on the International Company of Hong Kong National Security Law.
The critics said Beijing applyed the law last year to facilitate the crackdown on pro-democracy activists and free press.
“Let me talk about business advisers,” said US President Joe Biden when asked about it at a press conference by visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
“The situation in Hong Kong deteriorated.
And the Chinese government does not maintain that commitment to make it deal with Hong Kong, and so it is more an advisor about what might happen in Hong Kong.
Simple like that and as complicated like that.” The movement marks the latest efforts Biden administration to hold the Chinese government accountability for what was called by the Washington erosion of the legal rules in the former British colony which returned to China’s control in 1997.
Zhao Lijian’s foreign ministry spokesman on Friday.
that the US must stop disturbing Hong Kong.
China will make “firmly, a strong response” for US actions, he said.
Both people, who asked not to be identified, said Hong Kong steps could still change.
One source said the White House also reviewed the possibility of executive orders on immigration from Hong Kong, but it would still not be implemented.
The US Treasury Department has refused to comment on the following media reports this week about the possibility of new sanctions.
“We know that a healthy business community depends on the rule of law, which applies to Hong Kong continues to weaken,” said Ned Price’s Department Department spokesman, Tuesday when asked about this issue.
Deputy Deputy Secretary of Wendy Sherman is preparing for a visit to Japan, South Korea and Mongolia next week.
The announcement of the Department of Foreign Affairs’s travel made it did not mention every stop in China, which was anticipated in the circle of foreign policy and was reported in several media.
The State Department on Tuesday strengthens the warning to the business of increasing risk of having a supply chain and investment link to the Xinjiang China region, quoting forced labor and human rights violations there, which has been rejected by Beijing.