China Says U.S. Threat of Sanctions Will Not ‘Scare’ Them

China’s Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong says the “threat of sanctions by the US cannot scare the Chinese people”.

In response to China’s passing of national security legislation on Hong Kong, the United States announced that Hong Kong would no longer be treated separately from China. Additionally, President Trump stated the “United States will also take necessary steps to sanction PRC [People’s Republic of China] and Hong Kong officials”.

The U.S. believes that Hong Kong “is no longer sufficiently autonomous to warrant the special treatment”, arguing that this new national security legislation would undermine the One Country, Two Systems framework.

In contrast, China’s Foreign Affairs Office claims the legislation is necessary “to better implement “one country, two systems,” and to maintain Hong Kong’s long-term prosperity and stability”.