China's Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law: Retaliatory Sanctions Against Individuals, Entities Who 'Discriminate' Against Chinese Citizens, Organizations

China’s top legislative body on Thursday (Jun 10) voted to pass an anti-Foreign Sanctions Law, providing a comprehensive legal framework that enables sweeping retaliatory sanctions against any individuals, their families and organisations responsible for imposing foreign sanctions against the country.

The law empowers China's cabinet to directly or indirectly enforce countermeasures targeted at individuals and entities that have taken discriminatory measures against Chinese citizens and organizations.

Targeted groups of the countermeasure list can also be potentially expanded to their relatives, spouse, the organizations that are led by these targeting individuals or operated by them. The punitive measures include refusal to issue visas or denying entry, deportation, freezing properties and restricting relevant transactions and cooperation.

When asked to give examples of individual/groups that may be potentially targeted under China's Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law, the spokesperson of the commission said that certain Western countries, under the pretext of Tibet, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the South China Sea, together with the COVID-19 pandemic, were interfere in China's internal affairs.

The spokesperson said that bullying tactics like imposing sanctions on Chinese government officials will be met with countermeasures.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said the passage of the new law showed China’s determination to protect its sovereignty and core interests, and would not affect its relations with other countries.

U.S has often resorted to imposing sanctions on China over its policies in Hong Kong and Xinjiang.

In Aug 2020, U.S announced that it has imposed sanctions on Hong Kong Leader Carrie Lam and leading officials of Chinese Communist Party for their involvement in stifling political freedoms in Hong Kong.

The U.S Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on 11 individuals including Lam for undermining Hong Kong’s autonomy and restricting the freedom of expression or assembly of the citizens of Hong Kong.

Under the sanctions imposed by the U.S, the assets that individuals hold within U.S. jurisdiction will be frozen and their travel to the U.S will also be prevented.

In Jan 2021, China’s foreign ministry announced that it has imposed sanctions on 28 American officials including several members of the previous Trump administration, accusing them of having “seriously violated” China’s sovereignty.

Beijing announced the decision a day after former secretary of state Mike Pompeo declared China’s repression of Uyghur and other Muslim minorities in the Xinjiang province a “genocide.”

Pompeo is among those sanctioned. The other key functionaries of the Trump administration banned by China includes national security advisers John Bolton and Robert O’Brien, and former deputy national security adviser Matthew Pottinger. Influential electoral strategist and former Trump aide Steve Bannon was also sanctioned.