Foreign Affairs

China Announces New Visa Restrictions Targeting Americans Over Hong Kong

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The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will impose visa restrictions on specific Americans after the Trump administration restricted certain visas Friday, Chinese authorities said Monday.

Chinese government spokesman Zhao Lijian said the visa restrictions are due to unnamed American individuals’s “egregious conduct” towards China on the Hong Kong issue, according to state newspaper China Daily. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Friday that the U.S. imposed visa restrictions on certain CCP members for restricting Hong Kong’s freedom and autonomy.

Lijian’s announcement did not name any specific Americans who will face visa restrictions, Reuters reported.

“The U.S attempts to obstruct China’s legislation for safeguarding national security in Hong Kong as they are by imposing a so-called sanctions, but it will never succeed. In response to the above measure and erroneous practice by the U.S side, China has decided to impose visa restrictions on U.S. individuals with egregious conduct on Hong Kong related issues,” Lijan said.

#FMsays China has decided to impose #visa restrictions on US individuals who have behaved egregiously over #HongKong-related issues, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Monday. #香港 pic.twitter.com/9uZTM8K3Y1

— China Daily (@ChinaDaily) June 29, 2020

The CCP’s latest move is indicative of rising tensions between the U.S. and China over Hong Kong after the Trump administration criticized a new national security law restricting Hong Kong’s freedom.

The State Department didn’t immediately return the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.