Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced new restrictions against members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Friday, declaring that the U.S. has banned visas for CCP members affiliated with the obstruction of Hong Kong’s autonomy, EDNews.net reports citing Fox News.
“President Trump promised to punish the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials who were responsible for eviscerating Hong Kong’s freedoms,” Pompeo said in a statement Friday.
The latest announcement comes as China plans to move forward with a security law that would extend Beijing’s reach into the semi-autonomous region.
China’s National Congress Standing Committee already approved the draft version of legislation that would criminalize succession, subversion of state power, local terrorist activities, and collaborating with foreign or external foreign forces to endanger national security.
China has further made plans to instate a security bureau in Hong Kong that would analyze security situations in the region and safeguard China’s national security interests.
Pompeo said that China has undermined Hong Kong’s autonomy by “announcing Beijing’s authority to “supervise” Hong Kong’s governance.”
Pompeo also said that China has reportedly accused “at least one member of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council of misconduct” and has moved to “unilaterally and arbitrarily impose national security legislation on Hong Kong.”