‘Shameless and despicable’: Hong Kong decries US sanctions on officials over national security law

Release of personal details ‘no less than state-sanctioned doxxing’, says Carrie Lam, while city’s liaison office chief mockingly offers US$100 to ‘freeze’

While some agree impact on the targeted officials would be negligible, others suggest banks operating internationally could be deterred from serving them

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Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Saturday lashed out at US sanctions targeting her and 10 other local and mainland officials, saying she would ‘not be intimidated’. Photo: Winson Wong

Tony Cheung,Kanis Leung,Minnie Chan,Emily TsangandGary Cheung

Published: 11:46am, 8 Aug 2020Updated: 11:21am, 9 Aug 2020

Hong Kong’s embattled leader was defiant on Saturday, refusing to be intimidated by what she called “shameless and despicable” sanctions imposed on her and 10 other local and mainland Chinese officials by the US government, while Beijing’s top representative in the city heaped scorn on its impact.

“We will not be intimidated,” a scathing statement issued by Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng-Yuet-ngor’s government quoted her as saying, and condemned Washington for deliberately releasing the personal details of those on the sanctions list as part of punishment for their roles in the enforcement of the city’s sweeping new national security law.

“Such a deplorable move is no less than state-sanctioned doxxing that is a serious breach of privacy and personal safety. We reserve the right to take any necessary legal action,” the statement read.

Luo Huining, director of Beijing’s liaison office in the city, reacted mockingly to his own name being on US President Donald Trump’s sanctions list, saying: “Isn’t such a ‘sanction’ in vain as I don’t have any assets abroad? Of course, I can also send US$100 to Mr Trump for freezing.”

While Luo ridiculed the sanctions, his office issued a separate statement, denouncing the US move as interference in Hong Kong affairs.

“If the US believes the so-called sanctions will force China to compromise, then they have made a wrong calculation,” the office said, adding that the country “will never be afraid of any bullying”.

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