China has announced retaliatory sanctions against a group of United States politicians, including Republican Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, days after Washington blacklisted a number of Chinese politicians for alleged human rights abuses of the Uighur minority.
Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the measures – which also targeted Republican Congressman Chris Smith, the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China and Sam Brownback, the US ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom – would begin on Monday.
Hua did not elaborate on what the “corresponding sanctions” would entail.
Last week, the US imposed visa bans and asset freezes on several Chinese officials, including the Communist Party chief in Xinjiang, Chen Quanguo, over the alleged abuses in the western region.
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“We urge the US to immediately withdraw its wrong decision, and stop any words and actions that interfere in China’s internal affairs and harm China’s interests,” Hua said.
“China will make a further response depending on the development of the situation.”
SOURCE: ALJAZEERA