A Day After Uyghur ‘Genocide’ Designation, China Announces Sanctions On Trump Administration Officials Including Mike Pompeo

China’s foreign ministry announced on Wednesday (Jan 20) that it has imposed sanctions on 28 American officials including several members of the outgoing 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.

"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." a press release by the Chinese foreign ministry said.

"The Chinese government is firmly resolved to defend China's national sovereignty, security and development interests. China has decided to sanction 28 persons who have seriously violated China's sovereignty and who have been mainly responsible for such U.S. moves on China-related issues." the statement added.

The 28 individuals and their immediate family members will be prohibited from entering the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao of China. They and companies and institutions associated with them will be restricted from doing business with China.