According to the ministry, 28 people “planned, supported and carried out a series of foolish acts that interfered in China’s internal affairs, undermined its interests, violated the Chinese people, and caused severe damage to Sino-US relations.”
“These individuals and their immediate family members are prohibited from entering China, Hong Kong or Macao. They are also prohibited, as well as companies and institutions that may be associated with them, from doing business with China,” the ministry said in a statement.
Peter Navarro, former White House trade advisor, Robert O’Brien, former White House national security advisor, former US Health Secretary David Stilwell, and former State Department head of State for Asia, Matthew Pottinger, have been added to the sanctions registry. Deputy National Security Adviser Keith Crash, former Secretary of State for Economic Development, and Kelly Craft, former US ambassador to the United Nations.
Relevant officials in the government of US President Donald Trump resigned from US President Joe Biden on Wednesday. The list also includes John Bolton, who was Trump’s top national security adviser from 2018 to 2019, and Steve Bannon, the former president’s senior adviser.
Relations between China and the United States have deteriorated significantly during the Trump presidency. The angry relationship is well illustrated by the fact that Pompeo on Tuesday described the actions of the Chinese authorities against the Uyghur Muslim minority as genocide and crimes against humanity. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman described Pompeo’s comments as a lie on Wednesday.
Kelly Craft, for her planned visit to Taipei and her meeting with Taiwan President Kaj Jingfen, directed the bell to Beijing, as China sees Taiwan as its own province.
Cover photo: Getty Images
