Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning says Beijing has stated its position to the US
Beijing will impose visa restrictions on “US personnel who have behaved poorly on Hong Kong-related issues” in response to Washington’s threats to sanction officials responsible for implementing the national security law, China’s foreign ministry has said.
Foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning revealed the move on Tuesday when responding to a reporter’s question on Beijing’s countermeasures to planned sanctions by the US State Department.
She said Beijing had stated its position to the US.
“The United States, by using Hong Kong-related issues to impose indiscriminate visa restrictions on Chinese officials, has grossly interfered in China’s internal affairs and seriously violated the principles of international law and basic norms governing international relations,” Mao said.
“China has decided to impose visa restrictions on US personnel who have behaved poorly on Hong Kong-related issues.”
She reiterated that the city’s local affairs were the country’s internal matters, and urged the US to earnestly respect the nation’s sovereignty, as well as Hong Kong’s legal system, and “stop interfering in Hong Kong’s life by any means.”
She also stressed that Beijing was determined to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests.
Last month, the US State Department vowed to impose fresh sanctions in the form of visa restrictions on multiple officials in response to the jailing of 45 opposition figures for subversion under the national security law.
The 45 activists were jailed for between four years and two months and 10 years over their roles in an unofficial “primary” election in 2020, which the court said was a plot to overthrow the Hong Kong government.
Courtesy: SCMP
