Hong Kong: US imposes sanctions on chief executive Carrie Lam

The US Treasury has imposed sanctions on Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam, and 10 other top officials from Hong Kong and mainland China.

The sanctions were used to target those undermining Hong Kong’s autonomy, said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

“The United States stands with the people of Hong Kong,” Mr Mnuchin added.

The move comes weeks after China imposed a controversial national security law on Hong Kong, which critics say threatened its freedoms.

US-China tensions continue to escalate – only a few hours ago, the Trump administration moved to ban US transactions with the Chinese owners of the WeChat and TikTok apps..

Among those sanctioned are Hong Kong’s police commissioner and several political secretaries.

The US Treasury directly accused Ms Lam of “implementing Beijing’s policies of suppression of freedom and democratic processes”.

“In 2019, Lam pushed for an update to Hong Kong’s extradition arrangements to allow for extradition to the mainland, setting off a series of massive opposition demonstrations in Hong Kong,” the US Treasury added in a statement.

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