China urged to avoid retaliation over US sanctions on officials behind Hong Kong security law
- Government advisers say Beijing should expect to be targeted in the run up to the presidential election and should avoid a tit-for-tat response
- On Friday US Treasury released a list of officials, including Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam, who face economic penalties
Beijing should avoid a tit-for-tat response to US sanctions on Hong Kong and mainland Chinese officials over the city’s national security law, government advisers warned on Saturday.
They said China expected tough action in the run-up to the US presidential election and should be cautious about reacting to each step with counter measures.
“China could totally ignore the sanctions,” said Wang Huiyao, the director of Beijing-based think tank Centre for China and Globalisation and an adviser to the State Council, the country’s cabinet.
“Chinese officials are not like officials in the Middle East that have lots of assets overseas so the sanctions are mostly symbolic,” he said.
On Friday the US Treasury announced that it would impose economic sanctions on the officials it held responsible for Hong Kong’s sweeping new national security law and undermining the city’s freedoms.