Pompeo says US contemplating sanctions on these concerned in Hong Kong arrests
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated Washington is contemplating sanctions and different restrictions on these concerned within the arrest of over 50 individuals in Hong Kong and warned it may goal the territory’s financial and commerce workplace within the United States.
In a transfer prone to additional rile Beijing, Pompeo introduced in the identical assertion that U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft would go to Chinese-claimed Taiwan, which isn’t a UN member resulting from China’s objections.
Pompeo additionally stated he was “appalled” by the arrest of an American citizen as a part of Wednesday’s crackdown and added: “The United States will not tolerate the arbitrary detention or harassment of U.S. citizens.”
Hong Kong police arrested 53 individuals in daybreak raids on democracy activists on Wednesday within the largest crackdown since China final 12 months imposed a safety regulation which opponents say is aimed toward quashing dissent within the former British colony.
Among these detained was American lawyer John Clancey, a supply at his agency stated.
Pompeo known as the arrests an “outrage and a reminder of the Chinese Communist Party’s contempt for its own people and the rule of law.”
“The United States will consider sanctions and other restrictions on any and all individuals and entities involved in executing this assault on the Hong Kong people,” Pompeo stated.
He stated it will additionally “explore restrictions against the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in the United States, and take additional immediate actions against officials who have undermined Hong Kong’s democratic processes.”
Pompeo’s assertion got here after a day of turmoil in Washington that noticed supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump storm the U.S. Capitol in a bid to overturn his November election defeat.
Lawmakers on each side denounced the motion by Trump’s supporters and known as it a humiliation to American democracy that may play into the fingers of rivals like China.
“It kind of bolsters their claim that we’re falling apart and they’re the country of the future,” Republican Senator Marco Rubio, a China hawk, instructed Tucker Carlson on the Fox News channel.
On Wednesday, the Chinese embassy in Washington issued an advisory on its web site, warning Chinese residents to strengthen security precautions in gentle of the “large-scale demonstration” in Washington and the curfew introduced by the native authorities.
Trump has pursued hardline insurance policies in direction of China on points starting from commerce to espionage and the coronavirus and his administration has imposed sanctions on Chinese officers for crushing Hong Kong’s pro-democracy motion and different alleged rights abuses.
