China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) announced Thursday that it is imposing sanctions on 28 individuals, including former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former National Security Advisor John Bolton and former White House strategiest Steve Bannon for violating China’s sovereignty.
The sanctions prohibit the individuals from entering the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao. In addition, the individuals and any institutions associated with them are not allowed to do business with China.
A statement released by the MFA explained:
Over the past few years, some anti-China politicians in the United States, out of their selfish political interests and prejudice and hatred against China and showing no regard for the interests of the Chinese and American people, have planned, promoted and executed a series of crazy moves which have gravely interfered in China’s internal affairs, undermined China’s interests, offended the Chinese people, and seriously disrupted China-U.S. relations.
The Chinese Communist Party, the only political party governing the country, has come under fire in recent years after reports that it is detaining members of the Uighur Muslim minority in internment camps. Pompeo is one of the voices opposing the camps, and the sanctions come just days after he tweeted that China is committing a “genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang, China targeting Uyghur Muslims.” He believes that China must be held accountable.
Hua Chunying, China’s spokesperson, encouraged the recently-inaugurated Biden administration to “be more rational and responsible in formulating domestic and foreign policies” than the previous Trump administration.
