China criticised new US sanctions against officials involved in the
crackdown on Hong Kong on Tuesday. They called the move “crazy and vile”.

National People’s Congress imposed national security legislation in Hong
Kong, following which the Trump administration froze the US assets of 14 vice
chairs of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and barred
their travel to the US.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington believes Beijing is liable
for its “unrelenting assault against Hong Kong’s democratic
processes.”

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China’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying condemned the move as
a “vile intention to grossly interfere in China’s internal affairs.”

“The Chinese government and people express strong indignation over
and strongly condemn the United States’ rude, unreasonable, crazy and vile
behaviour,” Hua said at a regular press briefing on Tuesday.

China’s rubber-stamp parliament pushed through the new security law in
June.

The draconian law exacerbates the situation in Hong Kong, obliterating
the freedom they once enjoyed, undermining Hong Kong’s autonomy, critics said.

After last year’s violent protests in Hong Kong, stability can be reinstated
by law and prosecution of critics, China said.

The United States has already issued sanctions on Hong Kong’s
pro-Beijing leader, Carrie Lam, and has firmly said that it will treat Hong
Kong similar to China.