US and China flags waving in the wind. 3d illustration (Photo by Gil C from Shutterstock).

The United States on Monday imposed sanctions on four more officials accused of curbing freedoms in Hong Kong, vowing accountability over China’s clampdown in the city.

Edwina Lau, head of the National Security Division of the Hong Kong Police Force, was among the officials who will be barred from traveling to the United States and whose US-based assets, if any, will be frozen.

“These actions underscore US resolve to hold accountable key figures that are actively eviscerating the freedoms of the people of Hong Kong and undermining Hong Kong’s autonomy,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.

Other officials hit by sanctions Monday include Li Jiangzhou, deputy director of a Hong Kong office for “safeguarding national security.”

The United States has already imposed similar sanctions on Hong Kong’s top leader, Carrie Lam, who is an ally of Beijing.

Lam has tried to downplay the impact but acknowledged that she had trouble with a credit card after the sanctions.

The US pressure comes after China forged ahead with a tough security law that bars subversion in the financial hub, which has witnessed major pro-democracy protests.

China’s clampdown comes despite its promises that it would ensure a separate system for Hong Kong before Britain handed over its then colony in 1997.

Beijing has kept chipping away at dissent in Hong Kong, where pro-democracy lawmakers threatened Monday to resign en masse if four of their colleagues are disqualified from seeking office.

– AFP

Subscribe
Notify of
1 Comment
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
You May Also Like

SVB’s demise: Why didn’t US bank regulators see it coming?

The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank highlights the inadequacy of regulatory reforms since the 2008 financial crisis, according to banking experts. The bank’s disproportionate exposure to tech startups, coupled with its rapid growth and vulnerable long-date fixed-interest bonds, were clear potential red flags that regulators missed. Experts point to the easing of US laws enacted after the crisis, which puts more pressure on old-fashioned supervision, as a contributing factor to the oversight failure. The Federal Reserve has announced plans to review the supervision of SVB, and President Joe Biden has promised a “full accounting” of the situation.

Duterte lash out at U.S during summit over human rights concerns by Obama

VIENTIANE, LAOS – Just after a brief meeting between the U.S. President…