Beijing sanctions Pompeo and dozens of Trump administration members
The measure includes travel restrictions and limitations on the ability to do business in China. Spokesman for Biden: A "cynical and unproductive" move. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is the most prominent sanctioned personality. The Chinese are responding to the restrictions imposed by the former president.
Beijing (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The Chinese government yesterday imposed sanctions on around thirty members of the Trump administration. The announcement was made minutes after Joe Biden was sworn in as the new president of the United States. The measure includes travel restrictions and limitations on the ability to do business in China. A spokeswoman for Biden condemned the move by the Chinese, considered "cynical and unproductive".
Of those sanctioned the most prominent personality is former secretary of state Mike Pompeo. On January 19, in his farewell address, he denounced the repression of Uyghurs and other Islamic minorities living in Xinjiang, calling it a "genocide".
Former National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien and Kelly Craft, who left her post as UN ambassador, were also targeted. In recent days, Craft was due to visit Taiwan, but the trip was cancelled after the heavy grievances of Beijing. Alex Azar has also ended up on China’s blacklist: last August, Trump's health secretary met Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in Taipei.
Other personalities who were sanctioned include Peter Navarro, economic adviser to the former president, and Stephen Bannon, the architect of the tycoon's victorious presidential campaign in 2016. Both strongly supported the tariff war against the Asian giant. Lastly, David Stilwell, the head of policy for Asia at the State Department and John Bolton, O’Brien’s predecessor to National Security, were also affected.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry claims the sanctioned US officials are responsible for planning, promoting and implementing a series of "reckless" policies that have seriously interfered with China's internal affairs. Beijing maintains their actions have undermined the country's interests, offended the Chinese people and damaged Sino-American relations.
On January 14, in one of his latest acts, Trump authorized new sanctions against a range of Chinese public officials and companies: they are accused of coercion against nations contesting China's territorial claims in the South China Sea.
Since 2018 Trump has launched a campaign to boycott Chinese tech companies, part of a wider geopolitical conflict with the Asian giant; the most affected are those involved in the development of the 5G internet network (Huawei), artificial intelligence and microchips.
One year ago, in an attempt, a year ago the two sides signed a preliminary agreement (the so-called "phase one") with which China committed to buying around 184 billion euros in goods and services from the United States by the end of 2021. The target was not achieved; Beijing justified itself by arguing that this is due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
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