China announces sanctions against Mike Pompeo, 27 other Trump admin officials

Soon after Joe Biden took oath as the President of the United States, the Chinese government imposed sanctions against 28 high-ranking officials of the former President Donald Trump's administration including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

The spokesperson of the Chinese foreign ministry, Hua Chunying, confirmed it a day after the change in the US administration on Wednesday (January 21), saying that these officials were responsible "for a series of crazy US moves on China-related issues."

According to Chinese new agency Xinhua, the sanctions have been imposed against Peter Navarro (incumbent Director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy), Robert O'Brien (former National Security Adviser), David R. Stilwell (former Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs), Matthew Pottinger (former Deputy National Security Advisor), Alex Azar (former Secretary of Health and Human Services), Keith J Krach (incumbent Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment), and Kelly Craft (former Ambassador to the UN), John Bolton (former National Security Advisor) and Stephen K Bannon (former White House Chief Strategist), apart from Pompeo.

"Over the past few years, some anti-China politicians in the US, out of their selfish political interests and prejudice and hatred against China and showing no regard for the interests of the Chinese and American people, have planned, promoted and executed the crazy moves which have gravely interfered in China's internal affairs, undermined China's interests, offended the Chinese people, and seriously disrupted China-US relations," said an official statement of the Chinese foreign ministry.

With this, the spokesperson said, "These individuals and their immediate family members are prohibited from entering the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao of China. They and companies and institutions associated with them are also restricted from doing business with China."

CNN reported that the spokesperson hoped that the Biden administration would have a more objective and rational approach and met China halfway in the spirit of mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit.

He said that the Chinese government resolved to defend its national sovereignty, security and development interests.

The new sanctions come more than a week after Pompeo announced lifting old restrictions on American contact with the Taiwanese officials. Less than a day before the end of his tenure, Pompeo commented on the Uyghurs issue and said that China committed genocide against Muslim Uyghurs and other religious and ethnic minority groups in Xinjiang.