© Reuters
The tit-for-tat sanctions are set to increase tensions between the two nations, ahead of an upcoming visit by US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman to Tianjin.
A statement by the Chinese foreign ministry said the retaliation is needed as Washington issued an advisory warning to American businesses about risks to their operations and activities in Hong Kong and imposed sanctions on Chinese officials.
"The relevant actions of the US seriously violated international law and the basic norms of international relations and seriously interfered in China's internal affairs. China firmly opposes this and strongly condemn it," it said.
It said China would sanction former US secretary of commerce Wilbur Ross, US-China Economic and Security Review Commission Chairman Carolyn Bartholomew, former Congressional-Executive Commission on China staff director Jonathan Stivers, DoYun Kim from the National Democratic Institute, International Republican Institute associate director Adam King, Human Rights Watch China director Sophie Richardson and the Hong Kong Democracy Council.
"Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs. Any attempt by external forces to interfere in Hong Kong affairs is a mere stumbling block," the statement said.
Recently, the US issued an advisory warning to businesses operating in Hong Kong.
In addition, the US also sanctioned seven deputy directors of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong. The director, Luo Huining, was sanctioned last August.
The latest sanctions by China were announced as Sherman is expected to be in Tianjin for talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng on Sunday and Monday.
Oh Come on, really! As if China gives a shit about international law.