US Sanctions Stir Further Tensions Over Hong Kong's Autonomy

The United States imposed sanctions on six Chinese and Hong Kong officials for acts threatening Hong Kong's autonomy, intensifying tensions between Washington and Beijing. The sanctions come amid ongoing disputes over trade and Taiwan, as the US criticizes Beijing's crackdown on pro-democracy activists had fled overseas.

The United States recently imposed sanctions on six officials from China and Hong Kong, accusing them of participating in actions undermining Hong Kong's autonomy through "transnational repression." Among those sanctioned were Justice Secretary Paul Lam and police commissioner Raymond Siu, escalating existing frictions between Washington and Beijing.

The US State Department cited that these officials employed Hong Kong's national security laws to intimidate pro-democracy activists, some of whom have sought refuge overseas. Despite the sanctions, Lam claimed they would not impact his duties, criticizing them as "tyrannical bullying."

The foreign ministry in Beijing condemned the US sanctions, denouncing them as interference in China's internal affairs. Meanwhile, Hong Kong authorities dismissed the sanctions as acts of intimidation, underscoring the city's crackdown on activists deemed to endanger national security abroad.

(With inputs from agencies.)