Hong Kong’s leader has admitted that US sanctions imposed on her because of the national security law will be an inconvenience but says she and her colleagues will not be intimidated and that it felt honourable to be trusted by Beijing to enforce the legislation. Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor spoke with Chinese state broadcaster CGTN in an interview aired on Monday, after the Trump administration imposed economic sanctions on her and 10 other current and former officials earlier this month over the national security law. Under the sanctions, the US-based assets of individuals or entities are blocked and Americans and businesses are generally prohibited from dealing with those officials. Lam admitted in the interview with the English-language broadcaster that the sanctions would be an inconvenience. “We have to use some financial services and we don’t know whether that will relate back to an agency that has some American business, and the use of credit cards will be sort of hampered and so on,” she said. “But those are really meaningless, as far as I am concerned. “The most important is we feel honourable, that we are at this historic moment being trusted by the central people’s government to enforce a piece of national law to safeguard national security.” Attacks by China’s critics showed the effectiveness of the legislation, she said. Pro-business lawmaker fears further US sanctions ahead for Hong Kong Lam said she and her senior colleagues were “very determined” to continue with what they were doing. “We have said clearly and loudly that we would not be intimidated,” she said. The controversial law, imposed by Beijing on the city on June 30, bans acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with a foreign country or external elements to endanger national security. Opposition politicians and critics warned it could be used to suppress dissent and erode freedom in the city. Lam described the United States’ sanctions as “part of a ploy of the US administration for their self-serving interests”, and said such action should be condemned. In an announcement on August 7, the US Treasury Department singled out Lam for “implementing Beijing’s policies of suppression of freedom and democratic processes,” citing her role last year in attempting to pass the now-withdrawn extradition law – which sparked months of social unrest – and, more recently, her involvement in “developing, adopting or implementing” the national security law. Besides Lam, the Trump administration also targeted Hong Kong’s secretaries for justice and security, the city’s current and former police chiefs, and the senior leadership in Beijing’s liaison office in the city. Last month, US President Donald Trump also signed an executive order ending the city’s preferential trading status, which was stipulated by the Hong Kong policy act of 1992. The end of that status meant Hong Kong would be treated the same as mainland China and no special privileges would be given. Hong Kong national security law official English version: The US government also announced last week that goods made in Hong Kong for export to the country would need to be labelled as “Made in China” after September 25. However, two days later US Customs and Border Protection issued a clarification on its website saying the goods could still use “HK” as a country of origin. That effectively meant the punitive tariffs the US imposed on exports from the mainland during the trade war between the world’s two superpowers would not apply to Hong Kong goods. Lam, meanwhile, said postponing the Legislative Council elections , which were originally scheduled for next month but were put off for a year because of an increase in local coronavirus cases, had been a very difficult decision. “Nothing is more important than life, than the safety of Hong Kong people,” she said. “[An] election is not just about the activities on the voting day. There would be a lot of electioneering activities which would gather crowds of people. “It was indeed a very difficult decision to make. But I have to say this is the right decision to make.”