WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump’s administration said on Friday it was restricting visas for a number of Chinese officials for infringing on the autonomy of Hong Kong, announcing action as Congress seeks tougher sanctions.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States would restrict visas for unspecified current and former officials of the Chinese Communist Party “who were responsible for eviscerating Hong Kong’s freedoms.”

The officials who were targeted were “responsible for, or complicit in, undermining Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy,” which Beijing promised before regaining control of the territory in 1997 from Britain, Pompeo said.

“The United States calls on China to honour its commitments and obligations in the Sino-British Joint Declaration,” Pompeo said in a statement, urging protections of “freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly.”

A State Department spokeswoman declined to say how many people were affected or even if they would all be denied entry to the United States. “Individuals subject to this visa restriction policy will be evaluated for their eligibility under this policy when they apply and may be refused visas,” she said.

China is moving forward on a security law that would enforce punishment over subversion and other perceived offenses in Hong Kong, which saw massive and occasionally destructive pro-democracy protests last year.

Activists say the law would effectively undo the freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong, one of the world’s premier financial hubs.

Pompeo’s action comes one day after the US Senate approved a bill that would impose “mandatory” economic sanctions in the United States against Chinese officials and Hong Kong police identified as hurting the city’s autonomous status.

In one element of pressure that could have far-reaching consequences, the Hong Kong Autonomy Act would also punish banks that do “significant transactions” with identified violators.

Published in Dawn, June 27th, 2020