Beijing slams US sanctions bill targeting Hong Kong judges, prosecutors
Bill broadens sanctions to include Hong Kong justice minister Paul Lam, Chief Justice Andrew Cheung and Commissioner of Police Raymond Siu
Central and Hong Kong authorities have slammed a new US bipartisan bill that seeks to slap sanctions on more city officials, including judges and prosecutors, accusing American lawmakers of attempting to intimidate those safeguarding national security.
The Hong Kong Sanctions Act was introduced by Congresswoman Young Kim and Congressman Jim McGovern on Friday, just days after Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
The bill requires the president to assess whether to sanction certain Hong Kong officials who are deemed to have violated human rights.
China’s foreign ministry arm in Hong Kong said on Saturday night that it was strongly dissatisfied and firmly opposed the so-called “sanction bill”.
The Commissioner’s Office of China’s Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong said the move violated the principles of international law and the basic norms of international relations, fully exposing certain American politicians’ double standards.
“Adhering to the law and holding violators accountable are the core principles of the rule of law. Lawfully combating criminal activities that endanger national security is in line with the principles of the rule of law and international practices,” it said.
