In a significant development, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday that it has decided to impose visa restrictions on United States personnel who have acted egregiously on Hong Kong-related issues.
Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, revealed the decision during a regular press conference. This move comes in response to the U.S. taking steps to impose new visa restrictions on multiple Hong Kong officials responsible for implementing the Hong Kong national security law.
“We’ve made clear our serious position on relevant moves of the U.S. side,” Mao emphasized. She accused the U.S. of grossly interfering in China’s internal affairs and seriously violating the principles of international law and basic norms governing international relations by using Hong Kong-related issues to impose visa restrictions on Chinese officials.
Mao stated that the decision is in accordance with the Law on Foreign Relations of the People’s Republic of China and the Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law of the People’s Republic of China. She reiterated that Hong Kong is China’s Hong Kong and that Hong Kong affairs are purely China’s internal affairs.
The spokesperson urged the U.S. to earnestly respect China’s sovereignty, respect Hong Kong’s rule of law, and stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs in any form. She stressed that China remains unwavering in its determination to safeguard the nation’s sovereignty, security, and development interests, to implement the “One Country, Two Systems” policy, and to oppose any external interference in Hong Kong’s affairs.
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China to impose visa restrictions on U.S. personnel over HK issues
cgtn.com
