US imposes sanctions on seven Chinese officials

According to a list released by the US Treasury Department, the sanctions target people at the Chinese Liaison Office in Hong Kong.

Hours before the official announcement of the sanctions against the seven Chinese officials, informed sources in the Biden administration had said that Washington intended to boycott a number of Chinese officials linked to Hong Kong for what it called 'the suppression of democracy in Hong Kong.'

Simultaneously with the sanctions, the US Treasury Department issued a "trade recommendation" to warn domestic and foreign companies which are operating in Hong Kong.

Last year, following the introduction of the Hong Kong National Security Law, dissidents in the region staged mass protests at the instigation of Western governments. The protests gradually led to the destruction of public property and attacks on police forces.

The Hong Kong National Security Law was subsequently passed and enforced by the People's National Congress of China, under which Beijing could punish crimes related to secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign powers.

Relations between the West and China have been strained in recent months by the interventionist approach of the United States and its allies to developments in Hong Kong, as well as repeated accusations by Western officials against Beijing.

Hong Kong was under British rule from 1842 to 1997 but was annexed by mainland China in 1997.

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