Hong Kong harshly criticizes US sanctions

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Pro-China supporters in front of the US consulate in Hong Kong: "hypocrisy"

The Hong Kong government has heavily criticized the US sanctions against government officials announced on Friday. A government spokesman described them as "shameless and hideous" and accused the US of "hypocrisy". Trade Secretary Edward Bau called them "wild, disproportionate and unreasonable". The city government will support all countermeasures of the central government in Beijing against the USA.  

In the dispute over the restriction of Hong Kong's autonomy, the US had imposed sanctions against the local head of government Carrie Lam and ten other people. Lam was directly responsible for the implementation of Beijing's policy of suppressing freedom and democratic processes, it was said to justify.

US government freezes assets

Lam and the others are now on a list of people whose assets the US government is freezing and with whom Americans are no longer allowed to do business, according to the US Treasury Department. Prime Minister Lam was recently heavily criticized for the controversial postponement of the Hong Kong election by a year. 

The director of the Chinese Liaison Office in the Special Administrative Region, Luo Huining, who is on the list, also condemned the US sanctions as "barbaric and rude". These are also ineffective because he has no credit in the United States, he said. He offered to send $ 100 to the US so they could be frozen.

The conflict between China and the USA is thus intensifying. Relationships have been deteriorating for months over a number of issues. These include allegations in connection with the corona pandemic and, most recently, the US government's action against the Chinese video app TikTok. 

The controversial new so-called security law is also under criticism. It allows the Beijing leadership to take action in Hong Kong against activities that they consider subversive, separatist, terrorist, or a conspiracy with foreign forces. Violations of the law can result in life imprisonment.

rwi / dpa / afp