US sanctions Chinese officials over Hong Kong democracy crackdown

Latest move in response to Beijing’s clampdown is seen by analysts as symbolic as business community still wants market access.

The United States has imposed sanctions on seven Chinese officials over Beijing’s crackdown on democracy in Hong Kong. This is Washington’s latest effort to hold China accountable for what it calls an erosion of rule of law in the former British colony. The sanctions, posted by the US Treasury Department on Friday, are aimed at individuals from China’s Hong Kong liaison office, used by Beijing to orchestrate its policies in the Chinese territory. The seven people added to Treasury’s “specially designated nationals” list were Chen Dong, He Jing, Lu Xinning, Qiu Hong, Tan Tienui, Yang Jianping, and Yin Zonghua, all deputy directors at the liaison office, according to online data.