US Imposes Sanctions on All Vice Chairpersons of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee (Update)

Sanctions Imposed Over Hong Kong Security Law
US Entry Ban and Asset Freeze in the US
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson: "Must Stop Interfering in Internal Affairs"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min, Beijing=Correspondent Jo Young-shin] The Donald Trump administration in the United States has this time placed all 14 vice chairpersons of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's highest legislative body, on the sanctions list. Even with the regime change scheduled for January 20 next year, the Trump administration's pressure on China continues to intensify.

The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced on the 7th (local time) that it has designated 14 vice chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee, including Wang Chen and Cao Jianming, as sanctions targets. Li Zhanshu, the chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, was excluded from the sanctions list.

The NPC corresponds to our National Assembly, and the Standing Committee is the most powerful power group within China. The vice chairpersons of the Standing Committee hold a rank equivalent to the deputy speaker of the National Assembly.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated in a press release, "We are sanctioning 14 vice chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee in connection with the drafting, adoption, and implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law," explaining, "The Standing Committee unanimously adopted the Hong Kong National Security Law, which has been used by China to suppress dissidents and arrest those protesting against China's oppressive policies."

Under this measure, the vice chairpersons of the Standing Committee and their immediate family members are banned from visiting the United States. Their assets in the U.S. will be frozen, and transactions with U.S. persons are prohibited.

The U.S. action is interpreted as a response to the NPC Standing Committee's adoption on the 11th of last month of a decision regarding the eligibility requirements for Hong Kong Legislative Council members, which granted the Hong Kong government the authority to disqualify legislators. Subsequently, the Hong Kong government stripped four opposition lawmakers of their seats.

Meanwhile, a day earlier, Hua Chunying, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasized, "Hong Kong is China's Hong Kong," and criticized the U.S. side, saying, "We have always firmly and strongly opposed sanctions against Chinese personnel."

She added, "Among the 193 UN member states, 177 clearly stipulate the oath-taking system for national public officials in their constitutions," emphasizing, "Members and officials of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China must comply with the Hong Kong Basic Law."

Spokesperson Hua also stated, "I understand that there are quite a few lawmakers in the U.S. Congress and the UK Parliament who have lost their qualifications due to violations of regulations," and urged the U.S. side to stop interfering in China's internal affairs.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.