Blinken announces visa restrictions against Hong Kong officials for national security law
The United States is taking steps to ‘impose new visa restrictions on multiple Hong Kong officials responsible for the intensifying crackdown on rights and freedoms,’ Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said.
He said that over the past year China ‘has continued to take actions against Hong Kong’s promised high degree of autonomy, democratic institutions, and rights and freedoms,’ including through the recent enactment of Article 23, which grants authorities broad powers to crack down on dissent, including against activists living in exile.
Blinken’s 29 March statement did not indicate which Hong Kong officials will be targeted with visa restrictions.
The United States, United Kingdom and European Union responded with a chorus of criticism last month, after Hong Kong lawmakers unanimously passed the Article 23 law that the territory’s chief executive hailed as ‘historic,’ but which Washington had warned could lead to ‘actions’ by the US.
