The United States has imposed sanctions on Hong Kong’s police chief, justice secretary, and other officials over human rights concerns, following China’s intensified crackdown in the financial hub.
The sanctions, which target Police Commissioner Raymond Siu Chak-yee and other key figures, will freeze any assets they hold in the U.S. and prohibit financial transactions with them under American law.
In a rare move emphasizing human rights, the administration of President Donald Trump enforced these measures despite generally aligning with authoritarian leaders.
“The sanctions demonstrate the Trump administration’s commitment to hold to account those responsible for depriving people in Hong Kong of protected rights and freedoms or who commit acts of transnational repression on US soil or against US persons,” stated Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Among the sanctioned officials is Paul Lam, Hong Kong’s secretary for justice.
Hong Kong authorities swiftly condemned the sanctions, calling them “an attempt to intimidate” officials dedicated to safeguarding national security.
The city’s government declared that the move “clearly exposed the US’s barbarity under its hegemony, which is exactly the same as its recent tactics in bullying and coercing various countries and regions.”
The commissioner’s office of China’s foreign ministry in Hong Kong also criticized the sanctions, labeling them “unreasonable” and vowing that Beijing would take “effective measures for resolute retaliation.”
Chief Executive John Lee, Hong Kong’s top official, was already under U.S. sanctions prior to this latest action.
Visa restrictions over Tibet
In a related move, the U.S. State Department also sanctioned officials involved in the alleged intimidation of 19 pro-democracy activists who fled Hong Kong, including one U.S. citizen and four U.S. residents.
Further, Rubio announced visa restrictions on unnamed Chinese officials due to restricted access for U.S. diplomats, journalists, and others in Tibet.
Previously, Rubio had also imposed sanctions on Thai officials for deporting Uyghur minority members back to China.
Since Britain handed Hong Kong over to China in 1997 under the promise of a separate governance system, Beijing has tightened its grip on the city. This intensified after pro-democracy protests in 2019, which prompted the enforcement of a sweeping national security law to suppress dissent.
