China Summons U.S. Envoy Over Sanctions, Arms Sales

Date: 08 December 2020 - 21:16

News ID: ۸۵۲۴۱

BEIJING (Dispatches) — China has summoned the acting top U.S. diplomat in Beijing to protest about U.S. sanctions on 14 Chinese officials over Hong Kong, and vowed to take "reciprocal” counter measures.
China’s foreign ministry said on its website on Tuesday that Chinese vice foreign ministry Zheng Zeguang has summoned the acting representative in the U.S. embassy to express "solemn protest and strong condemnation”.
China lashed out at the U.S. over the new sanctions 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 mutinous island 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 to punish U.S. companies involved in the arms deals in response.
Taiwan’s government welcomed the announcement, saying it showed Washington was honoring its commitment to help strengthen the island’s defenses.
This year the U.S. forced the closure of the Chinese consulate in Houston and last week cut the duration of U.S. visas for members of the ruling Communist Party and their family members from 10 years to one month.