China will embargo some American individuals, including members of Congress, as well as cancel the visa-free regime to enter Hong Kong and Macau which is reserved for US diplomats.
At a press conference on December 10, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Xuan Oanh did not specify the names of those who would be embargoed, but said they included people in the executive and legislative branches of the United States, also. as non-governmental organizations, according to Bloomberg.
China will also cancel visa-free access to Hong Kong and Macau, which are available to US diplomatic passport holders, Ms. Hoa said at a press conference in Beijing.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on December 7 announced the financial sanctions and travel bans for high-ranking figures in the Chinese legislature, regarding the new national security law for Hong Kong.
The new US government embargo applies to 14 top officials, including the leaders of the Nhan Dai, or Chinese parliament. The list includes Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of Nhan Wang Shen and Chief Procurator of the Supreme People's Procuracy Cao Jianming, according to the South China Morning Post.
The Chinese officials on the list will be banned from entering the United States. The sanctions are based on the executive order President Donald Trump signed in July on the Hong Kong issue, setting out many changes in the special treatment of the zone compared to mainland China.
On December 8, Ms. Hoa Xuan Oanh condemned the new US sanctions. She affirmed Beijing will take "resolute and powerful response measures, to protect sovereignty, security and development interests" of the country.
On the same day, the Chinese Foreign Ministry summoned the head of the US diplomatic mission in Beijing to protest. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Trinh Trach Quang vowed to respond "reciprocally" to Washington.