Photo taken on May 21, 2020 shows red flags on the Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)
BEIJING, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday announced sanctions against 11 U.S. individuals with egregious records on Hong Kong affairs.
This is a necessary move opposing the U.S. anti-China forces' flagrant interference in China's internal affairs over a long period of time. It is also a solemn move to safeguard China's national sovereignty, security and development interests.
The anti-China forces in the United States have long been concocting rumors and fabricating accusations, blatantly meddling in Hong Kong affairs under the pretext of human rights, democracy and autonomy.
They supported and used anti-China "pawns" like Jimmy Lai Chee-ying to incite violence, undermine the rule of law and social order in Hong Kong and sabotage the city's prosperity and stability.
The anti-China forces in the United States have groundlessly smeared the national security legislation for Hong Kong and introduced the so-called U.S. sanctions targeting officials of the central government agencies responsible for Hong Kong affairs and the HKSAR government. It exposed the hegemonic nature of these anti-China forces in the United States.
The majority of Hong Kong residents are fed up with the U.S. bullying and shameless acts. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Chief Executive Carrie Lam said that she and other officials targeted by the U.S. "sanctions" have no fears.
The U.S. lawmakers and heads of U.S. non-governmental organizations targeted by China's sanctions have egregious records on Hong Kong affairs. They have recklessly distorted and slandered the "one country, two systems" principle and flagrantly interfered in Hong Kong affairs.
The sanctions against them show that China will never back down on major issues related to China's national sovereignty, security and development interests.
The U.S. side should face reality, be rational, put China-U.S. relations in perspective and handle the relations correctly. Or it will surely face consequences if it refuses to correct its course and insists on taking more wrong steps.
The United States must abandon its fantasy of remodeling China to U.S. needs, stop its meddling in China's internal affairs, and stop its irrational cracking down on China's legitimate rights and interests. ■
