China said on Thursday it would revoke visa exemption treatment for U.S. diplomatic passport holders visiting Hong Kong and Macau after the United States imposed financial sanctions and a travel ban on more than a dozen Chinese officials.
The Chinese regime says it will revoke the exemption that some U.S. officials receive on visas—for visiting Hong Kong and Macau.
It specifically targets people who hold American diplomatic passports, and comes after the United States imposed financial sanctions and a travel ban on more than a dozen Chinese officials this week.
Beijing says it will also implement reciprocal sanctions against some U.S. officials, members of Congress, staff at non-governmental organizations, and their family members, over what a foreign ministry spokeswoman called “vile” U.S. behavior on Hong Kong and a “dangerous and mistaken path.”
She declined to give names of those sanctioned or to say when the sanctions would start.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the U.S. Treasury also slapped sanctions on WanKuok Koi, an organized crime boss for China’s 14K Triad—and three entities “owned or controlled” by him.
Widely known as “Broken Tooth,” Wan had close ties to the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, a largely ceremonial advisory body, according to the Treasury statement. China’s foreign ministry has refuted that claim.
