Secretary of State Rubio robbed Beijing of Hong Kong residents of “breaking their promises” and robbed them of their freedom.
The US imposed sanctions on six Chinese and Hong Kong officials to punish China for its continued crackdown on democratic advocates in the financial hub that was returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
The US State Department announced sanctions on Monday. They targeted prominent figures, including secretaries to Hong Kong Police Commissioner Raymond Siu Chak Yi and Judge Paul Lam, and played a role in efforts to “intimidate, silence and harass 19 democratic activists.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in X that he “breaked the promise” after pledging to allow the territory to have high levels of autonomy, allowing Beijing to “take Hong Kong from freedom” and engaged in “acts of conduct targeting activists in the US soil.”
. @Statedept’s latest Hong Kong Policy Law report shows that Beijing has broken its promise to the people of Hong Kong. The US will impose sanctions on six individuals to undermine Hong Kong’s autonomy, depriving them of freedom, and…
– Secretary Marco Rubio (@secrubio) March 31, 2025
Sanctions that mark a rare foray into human rights under the control of President Donald Trump will block the interests held by six US people and generally criminalize financial transactions under US law.
They are also targeting Dong Jingwei, a former senior official at China’s leading private intelligence agency. He is currently the director of the Beijing office to protect Hong Kong’s national security. With senior security and police officer Sony O. Dick Wong; and Margaret Chi-woo.
“Aggressive” crackdown
When the UK handed over the financial hub in 1997, Beijing promised a different system for Hong Kong.
But it swept the city in 2019 after launching a major crackdown on dissent, imposing massive, large and sometimes destructive protests in favor of democracy.
The State Department’s latest Hong Kong Policy Law report, released Monday, pointed to two laws imposed by Beijing: the 2020 National Security Act and the Hong Kong Government’s Protected National Security Ordinance.
Target included two former editors of the now-repeated independent news outlet stand news last year, when they were jailed for conspiring to publish an incitement publication.
Chinese and Hong Kong authorities said the national security law, which punishes overthrowing, conspiracy with foreign forces, and terrorism with prison life, has brought stability to China-controlled territories since the 2019 protest.
Six licensed officials were targeted in line with US laws defending Hong Kong democracy.
Hong Kong’s CEO John Lee is already under US sanctions.
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