The United States sanctioned six Chinese and Hong Kong officials for alleged “transnational repression” and acts that threaten to further erode the southern Chinese city’s autonomy. The Hong Kong office of China's foreign ministry on Tuesday condemned the move, saying China would “surely” take effective countermeasures. The six officials included Hong Kong’s Justice Secretary Paul Lam, security official Dong Jingwei and police commissioner Raymond Siu. The sanctions are expected to further escalate tensions between Washington and Beijing, who are already locked in friction over trade tariffs and other issues like Taiwan.
