China condemns new US Hong Kong sanctions, Taiwan arms sale

BEIJING (AP) — China on Tuesday lashed out at the U.S. over new sanctions against Chinese officials and the sale of more military equipment to Taiwan.

The U.S. actions are part of what critics see as an effort by the Trump administration to put in place high-pressure tactics toward Beijing that could make it more difficult for President-elect Joe Biden to steady relations.

The Cabinet’s office for Hong Kong affairs expressed “strong outrage and condemnation” over the sanctions leveled against 14 members of the standing committee of China’s legislature, which passed a sweeping Hong Kong National Security Law earlier this year.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying, meanwhile, demanded the U.S. cancel its latest arms sale to Taiwan and said China would make a “proper and necessary response.”

Hua also condemned the new sanctions, saying China would “take resolute and forceful countermeasures and resolutely defend its sovereignty, security and development interests."

“The Chinese government and people have expressed strong indignation and strongly condemned the U.S.’s arrogant, unreasonable and insane behavior," Hua said at a daily briefing.

The State Department on Monday said the sanctioned officials would be banned from traveling to the U.S. or accessing the U.S. financial system over the crackdown on civil rights in Hong Kong.

It also announced the approval of a $280 million sale of advanced military communications equipment to Taiwan.

President Donald Trump's administration has incensed Beijing with 11 separate arms sales and closer military and political ties with the self-governing island democracy that Beijing claims as its own territory, to be annexed by force if necessary.

China has stepped up military flights near the island and pledged...