China sanctions Mike Pompeo and senior Trump administration officials after Biden takes office

China sanctions Mike Pompeo and senior Trump administration officials after Biden takes office

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In a statement of strong words published after US President Joe Biden was sworn in early Thursday morning, Beijing time, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said former Trump administration officials were “anti-China politicians” that undermined the relationship between the U.S. and China.

“(They) planned, promoted and executed a series of crazy movements that seriously interfered in China’s internal affairs, undermined China’s interests, offended the Chinese people and seriously disrupted China-US relations,” the statement said.

China’s decision underscores the turbulent and often hostile relationship between Washington and Beijing during Trump’s term.

Many of the 28 outgoing officials and former Beijing-sanctioned officials were said to be influential in helping to guide the Trump administration’s most conflicted China policy, which has sparked clashes with Beijing on issues related to trade, technology, regional security and human rights.
Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo comments on China's foreign policy at Georgia Tech on December 9 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Among those listed by Beijing were former commercial adviser Peter Navarro; former national security adviser Robert O’Brien and his former deputy Matt Pottinger; former health secretary Alex Azar; and former United States ambassador to the United Nations, Kelly Craft. Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon and former security adviser John Bolton were also included.

The 28 former employees and their immediate family members would be banned from entering mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China. In addition, the companies and institutions associated with those mentioned would be prohibited from doing business with China.

Navarro told CNN that the sanctions are a “medal of honor for the dictatorship that killed millions with its virus”. The Trump administration has repeatedly insisted that China should be solely responsible for the coronavirus pandemic.

Thursday’s sanctions follow a series of final Trump administration measures targeting China, including sanctions directed at officials and a statement on the last day that the Chinese government committed genocide against Uighur Muslims and minority ethnic and religious groups in your country. western Xinjiang region.
US accuses China of 'genocide' of Uighurs and minority groups in Xinjiang
Just over a week earlier, on Jan. 11, Pompeo announced that the United States would lift decades-long restrictions on contacts between American and Taiwanese officials, a decision that sparked threats from Beijing.

China’s decision to impose sanctions against the leaving Trump team follows comments made by Beijing in the hours before Biden’s inauguration, expressing hope that the new US president “will look at China rationally and objectively “.

At a regular press conference on Wednesday, China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the Trump administration had made several “fundamental mistakes” over the past four years, resulting in “serious damage” to relations bilateral.

The Biden government should instead “look at China rationally and objectively, find China halfway and, in the spirit of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, push China-US relations back on track. sure of healthy and stable development as soon as possible, “said Hua.

“If the new US government can adopt a more rational and responsible attitude in formulating its foreign policy, I think it will be warmly welcomed by everyone in the international community,” he added.

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