On March 31, the US State Department announced sanctions against six officials who undermined Hong Kong's autonomy, including participating in the formulation and implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law and engaging in transnational repression in the United States regarding the law.
The statement noted that the six Beijing and Hong Kong officials used the Hong Kong National Security Law to intimidate, suppress, and harass 19 pro-democracy activists who had fled overseas, including one U.S. citizen and four U.S. residents. The statement emphasized that the sanctions demonstrate the Trump administration's commitment to holding those who deprive the people of Hong Kong of their rights and freedoms and engage in transnational repression on U.S. territory accountable.
The six Hong Kong and Beijing officials sanctioned are: Sonny Au Chi-kwong, secretary-general of the Hong Kong National Security Commission; Raymond Chak Yee Siu, Hong Kong Police Commissioner; Dick Chung Chun Wong and Margaret Wing Lan Chiu, assistant commissioners of the Hong Kong National Security Department; Paul Ting Kwok Lam, Hong Kong's Secretary for Justice; and Dong Jingwei, director of the Office for Safeguarding National Security of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
Property of sanctioned individuals located in the United States or held or controlled by U.S. persons will be frozen and must be reported to the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control. Furthermore, assets owned directly or indirectly by any one or more sanctioned individuals with a 50% or greater stake will be frozen, and transactions or services with U.S. persons or any entity within the United States that engages in such transactions will be prohibited.
