China's top representative in Hong Kong mocks US sanctions

Hong Kong: China's top representative in Hong Kong has mockingly offered to send US President Donald Trump $100 as "assets" for the latter to freeze in response to the American government's move to impose sanctions due to the national security law imposed in the city by Beijing, the media reported on Saturday.

"Being put on the US sanctions list just means that I have done what I should do for the nation and Hong Kong," the South China Morning Post newspaper quoted Luo Huining, director of the central government's liaison office in Hong Kong, as saying.

"Isn't such a 'sanction' in vain as I don't have any assets abroad? Of course, I can also send $100 to Trump for freezing."

While Luo ridiculed the sanctions, his office issued a separate statement, denouncing the US move as interference in Hong Kong affairs.

It added that the national security law enacted on June 30 was needed to maintain Hong Kong security and order, and China was determined to protect its sovereignty.

The Trump administration on Friday imposed economic sanctions on 11 current and former Chinese officials, including Luo and Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam.

The US Treasury Department singled out Lam for "implementing Beijing's policies of suppression of freedom and democratic processes," citing her role last year in attempting to pass an extradition law and, more recently, her involvement in "developing, adopting or implementing" the national security law, which criminalises a broad range of behaviours under the four categories of secession, terrorism, subversion and collusion with a foreign power, the SCMP newspaper reported.

Besides Lam and Luo, the others on the sanctions list included Hong Kong's secretaries of justice and security and the city's current and former police chiefs.