China announced on Thursday (December 10) reprisals against US officials having "
misbehaved
" vis-à-vis Hong Kong, in reaction to the sanctions taken by Washington against Beijing's policy in semi-autonomous Chinese territory.
Read also: Freedoms in Hong Kong: Washington sanctions 14 Chinese officials
The former British colony was rocked in 2019 by pro-democracy protests, sometimes violent.
They were largely stemmed by the imposition in June of a controversial national security law, criticized by Western powers, led by the United States.
Washington had announced Monday that the 14 vice-chairmen of the standing committee of the Chinese Parliament, who voted for the offending text, as well as their families, could no longer enter American soil.
The Treasury also froze their possible holdings in the United States and denied them access to the American financial system.
In response, China will "
impose sanctions on US executive officials, congressional staff, and NGO staff ... who have behaved badly on the Hong Kong issue
," Hua Chunying said, a spokesperson for Chinese diplomacy.
Members of their immediate family will also be affected, she said during a regular press conference, without providing the names of those affected.
Hua Chunying also indicated that Beijing would "
cancel the visa exemption
" previously enjoyed by holders of American diplomatic passports to travel to Hong Kong and Macao.
"
China once again urges the United States to immediately cease (...) interfering in its internal affairs and not to continue to take this bad and perilous path,
" the spokesperson stressed.
Read also: Hong Kong: eight activists arrested under the national security law imposed by Beijing
The Law on National Security in Hong Kong penalizes in particular any call for independence in the former British colony, returned to China in 1997. The vote of this text by the national parliament, submitted to the Communist Party (PCC) in power in mainland China, aroused a wave of indignation in Western capitals, worried about the autonomy status enjoyed by the territory.
Washington had already imposed sanctions on fifteen Hong Kong officials, including the head of the pro-Beijing executive, Carrie Lam.
She recently said she had "
piles of cash
" at home, being deprived of a bank account following US restrictions.