China Compelled To Retaliate against Trump’s Hong Kong Sanctions

July 15, 2020 (EIRNS)—In response to President Donald Trump’s executive order on sanctions over Hong Kong, China announced that it will retaliate in kind. “We are forced to impose sanctions to protect our own national interests. Those measures will affect both individuals and organizations,” said China’s Foreign Ministry in a statement. “This constitutes a flagrant interference into the affairs of Hong Kong and into China’s domestic issues. We express strong discontent and resolute protest over the matter,” reported TASS.

“China insists that the United States fix the mistakes it had made and stop short of implementing the Hong Kong bill... If this does not happen, harsh retaliatory measures will follow,” the document says.

On July 14, Trump signed a bill and an executive order on cancelling U.S. trade and economic preferences for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Among other measures, the sanctions envisage placing an asset-freeze on certain Chinese individuals in U.S. territory. It also indicates the U.S. intention to suspend several intergovernmental agreements, including on extradition of criminals.