China slams sanctions on two American senators, nine others in return for US moves

The Republic of China has slammed sanctions on no fewer than 11 Americans, including senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, in retaliation for similar US moves prompted by Beijing’s crackdown in Hong Kong.

In a statement, Beijing said the measure was a violation of international law and “grossly interferes in China’s internal affairs”.

“China has decided to impose sanctions on some people that behaved badly on Hong Kong-related issues,” foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Monday, with Human Rights Watch director Kenneth Roth and National Endowment for Democracy president Carl Gershman also on the list.

READ ALSO: China vows to take counter measures against US over Hong Kong security law

Zhao did not give details of what the sanctions would entail. “Last month #China banned me. Today they sanctioned me. I don’t want to be paranoid but I am starting to think they don’t like me,” Rubio tweeted.

This came days after Hong Kong’s chief executive Carrie Lam and 10 other officials were sanctioned by the United States of America for, “undermining Hong Kong’s autonomy and restricting the freedom of expression or assembly of the citizens of Hong Kong”.

The sanction was announced on Friday in a statement on the US Treasury’s website which informed that the sanctions are being implemented under an executive order by President Donald Trump issued in mid-July aimed at punishing China over a new sweeping national security law.

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