China announced on Wednesday, shortly after the inauguration of Democrat Joe Biden, sanctions against 28 officials in the government of former US President Donald Trump, including his secretary of state, Mike Pompeo.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said that in recent years, “some anti-Chinese politicians in the United States, motivated by selfish political interests and prejudices against China (…) have offended the Chinese people and the ‘seriously disturbed’. relationship between Washington and Beijing.
“China has decided to sanction 28 people who have seriously violated Chinese sovereignty,” the text continues.
Besides Pompeo, Trump’s Trade Advisor Peter Navarro, National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien, Under Secretary for East Asia and Pacific Affairs David Stilwell, Health Secretary Alex Azar, and sent to the UN (United Nations), Kelly Craft.
Beijing has also sanctioned former Trump national security adviser John Bolton and former far-right aide and ideologue Steve Bannon.
With the measure, this group, along with members of their immediate family, is banned from entering mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau. In addition, they are also barred from doing business with the Asian country, as well as any related companies or institutions.
On Tuesday (19), in a Senate confirmation hearing, Antony Blinken, Biden’s name for secretary of state, reinforced anti-China rhetoric.
“We have to face China from a position of strength and not of weakness,” said Blinken, who, if approved, will occupy one of the most important positions in government, leading US diplomacy.
Biden’s candidate, however, did not rule out the possibility of working with mutual interests between Washington and Beijing.
It is necessary, he said, “not to denigrate the allies” and not to deviate from international policies and institutions, “sowing the ground for China to write rules and regulations” – referring to Trump’s decisions to remove the country from global bodies, like the World Health Organization and treatments, like the Paris Agreement.
The diplomat also said he believed the Republican was right to take a tougher approach on China, disagreeing only with the way that position was being conducted.
Also on Tuesday, the Trump administration said China was committing “genocide and crimes against humanity” by suppressing Uyghur Muslims and other minorities in the Xinjiang region – the decision imposes no automatic sanctions on the China, but put pressure on countries and companies. stop doing business in the region, one of the world’s largest cotton suppliers.
Commenting on the matter, Blinken said the United States must stand up for its democratic values ”when human rights are violated in Xinjiang” or “when democracy is trampled in Hong Kong.”