China on Wednesday slapped sanctions on 28 Trump administration officials and allies, including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Steve Bannon, alleging that they made “crazy moves” that weakened U.S.-China relations.
The sanctions forbid the people listed and their families from entering mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau. In addition, any companies or institutions associated with them “will not be permitted to do business with China,” according to a statement from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Over the past few years, some anti-China politicians in the United States, out of their selfish political interests and prejudice and hatred against China and showing no regard for the interests of the Chinese and American people have planned, promoted, and executed a series of crazy moves which have gravely interfered in China’s internal affairs, undermined China’s interests, offended the Chinese people, and seriously disrupted China-U.S. relations,” the statement read, adding that the government is ready to defend its “national sovereignty, security and development interests.”
The statement was released just minutes after President Biden was inaugurated.
Other high-ranking officials on the list who worked for former President Donald Trump include former economic adviser Peter Navarro, national security adviser Robert O’Brien, and U.N. Ambassador Kelly Craft. David Stilwell, the former president’s top diplomat in Asia, as well as Alex Azar, Trump’s health and human services secretary, and former national security adviser John Bolton have also been blacklisted.
As one of his last acts as secretary of state, Pompeo announced on Tuesday that he had declared China’s repression of Muslim ethnic minorities to be a “genocide.”
“I have determined that the People’s Republic of China is committing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang, China, targeting Uyghur Muslims and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups,” Pompeo tweeted.
I have determined that the People’s Republic of China is committing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang, China, targeting Uyghur Muslims and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups.
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) January 19, 2021
Not to be outdone, China also took a parting shot at Trump, wishing him and Pompeo “good riddance” on Twitter.
The bad blood between the two countries has been growing over the past four years as the Trump administration hit numerous Chinese officials with sanctions for their actions on Tibet, Hong Kong, and the South China Sea.
