Well-known Chinese news site Sina (NASDAQ: SINA) recently reported that, on July 23, the spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs commented in a press conference, due to the “new legal landscape,” on the U.S. Biden Administration’s latest official risk advisory for businesses, investors, individuals and academic institutions operating in Hong Kong. The U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury has included seven deputy directors of the Chinese Liaison Office in Hong Kong on the “Specially Designated Nationals List” and imposed financial sanctions. China firmly opposes this and strongly condemns it. Based on China’s Anti-Foreign Sanctions Act, China decided to adopt a reciprocal countermeasure and sanction the following: former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) Chairman Caroline Bartholomew, former office director of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) Jonathan Stilworth, DoYun Kim from the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI), Adam King, Authorized representative of the American International Republican Institute (IRI) in Hong Kong, Director of the China Department of Human Rights Watch Sophie Richardson, and the Hong Kong Democracy Committee (HKDC).
Radio France International (RFI) Chinese Edition later reported that the White House responded on the same day that the U.S. will not be afraid of this and will still strive to use all relevant sanction tools going forward.
Sources:
Sina, July 23, 2021
https://news.sina.com.cn/c/2021-07-23/doc-ikqcfnca8659876.shtml
RFI Chinese, July 23, 2021
https://bit.ly/3eQrlSy