US sanctions six Chinese and HK officials for 'repression'

The United States on March 31 sanctioned six senior Chinese and Hong Kong officials for "transnational repression" and further eroding the autonomy of Hong Kong, in the first major move by the Trump administration to punish China over its crackdown on the city.

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WASHINGTON - The United States on March 31 sanctioned six senior Chinese and Hong Kong officials for "transnational repression" and further eroding the autonomy of Hong Kong, in the first major move by the Trump administration to punish China over its crackdown on the city.

"Beijing and Hong Kong officials have used Hong Kong national security laws extraterritorially to intimidate, silence and harass 19 pro-democracy activists who were forced to flee overseas, including a US citizen and four other US residents," the State Department said in a statement.

In response, the US is sanctioning six individuals who have "engaged in actions or policies that threaten to further erode the autonomy of Hong Kong in contravention of China's commitments, and in connection with acts of transnational repression", it said.

Western countries have criticised Beijing for imposing the national security law on Hong Kong and using it to jail pro-democracy activists, as well as shutter liberal media outlets and civil society groups.