The United States has imposed new sanctions on six Hong Kong and Chinese officials to punish China for the ongoing crackdown on democracy advocates in Asia’s financial hub, which was returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
The U.S. State Department’s latest Hong Kong Policy Act Report, published on March 31, zeroed in on two laws – the Beijing-imposed 2020 National Security Law and the Hong Kong government’s Safeguarding National Security Ordinance – which it stated had been used to “aggressively” prosecute pro‑democracy and media freedom advocates.
The six newly-sanctioned officials were targeted in accordance with a U.S. law that supports Hong Kong democracy. The Department of State announced the sanctions March 31, in tandem with the Hong Kong Policy Act Report cited above. They target prominent figures, including Hong Kong Police Commissioner Raymond Chak Yee Siu and Secretary for Justice Paul Ting Kwok Lam for playing a role in efforts to “intimidate, silence and harass 19 pro-democracy activists.” With the latest six added to the list, the total of U.S. sanctioned officials has reached 48, including Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared on X that Beijing had “broken its promises” after pledging to allow the territory a high degree of autonomy, while “depriving Hong Kongers of freedoms” and engaging in “acts of transnational repression targeting activists on U.S. soil.”
Following is the text of the State Department’s March 31 fact sheet that explains both the Hong Kong Policy Act report and the new sanctions:
“U.S. Sanctions Six Individuals for Undermining Hong Kong’s Autonomy
Beijing and Hong Kong officials have used Hong Kong national security laws extraterritorially to intimidate, silence, and harass 19 pro-democracy activists who were forced to flee overseas, including a U.S. citizen and four other U.S. residents. Today, the Department published the latest Hong Kong Policy Act report, and the Secretary certified that Hong Kong does not warrant differential treatment under U.S. laws as it did before its July 1997 handover. In addition, the United States is sanctioning six individuals who have engaged in actions or policies that threaten to further erode the autonomy of Hong Kong in contravention of China’s commitments, and in connection with acts of transnational repression.
The Department of State is designating the following individuals pursuant to section 4(a)(iii)(A) of E.O. 13936 for being foreign persons determined to be or have been a leader or official of an entity, including any government entity, that has engaged in, or whose members are or have been involved, directly or indirectly, in the coercing, arresting, detaining, or imprisoning of individuals under the authority of, or to be or have been responsible for or involved in developing, adopting, or implementing, the National Security Law:
SONNY CHI KWONG AU is a State Agency Official as the Secretary-General for the Committee for Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong SAR.
DONG JINGWEI is a Senior Civil Servant – Regional Government as the Director for the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People’s Republic in Hong Kong SAR.
DICK CHUNG CHUN WONG is an Assistant Commissioner of the Police, National Security and previously held the position of Director of the HKPF College.
MARGARET WING LAN CHIU was promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of the HKPF in 2021 and took over the position of Assistant Commissioner of Police, National Security. CHIU was previously the Chief Superintendent.
RAYMOND CHAK YEE SIU is the Police Commissioner of Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF).
Pursuant to section 4(a)(i) of E.O. 13936, the following individual is being designated for being a foreign person determined to be or have been involved, directly or indirectly, in the coercing, arresting, detaining, or imprisoning of individuals under the authority of, or to be or have been responsible for or involved in developing, adopting, or implementing, the Law of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Administrative Region (HKSAR):
PAUL TING KWOK LAM is the Secretary for Justice, Hong Kong in the Regional Government Ministers category, and has been responsible for or involved in developing, adopting, or implementing, the National Security Law.
Sanctions Implications
As a result of today’s sanctions-related actions, and in accordance with E.O. 13936, all property and interests in property of the sanctioned persons described above that are in the United States or in possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Additionally, all individuals or entities that have ownership, either directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked.
All transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons are prohibited unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC or exempt from U.S. sanctions. These prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person and the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.”
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