The U.S. and China this week exchanged tit-for-tat sanctions over Hong Kong, where Beijing is continuing its crackdown on pro-democracy activists.
Chinese media has hit out at U.S. lawmakers and President Donald Trump’s administration after a week of tit-for-tat sanctions over Beijing’s continued human rights abuses in Hong Kong, Xinjiang and elsewhere. China’s foreign ministry said Thursday it would restrict travel to Hong Kong by some U.S. officials and others in response to similar measures imposed on Chinese officials by Washington, D.C. Spokesperson Hua Chunying accused the U.S. of «using the Hong Kong issue to seriously interfere in China’s internal affairs and undermine China’s core interests.» The U.S. and China have been at odds over the status of Hong Kong over the last 18 months, following eventual American backing for mass pro-democracy protests that erupted in the semi-autonomous territory in the summer of 2019. China has since introduced a draconian national security law effectively criminalizing any anti-government dissent, and moved to purge Hong Kong’s legislative of pro-democracy voices and imprison the most prominent activists to quell organized opposition.
