*China said Thursday it will impose sanctions on US officials who have“performed badly” over Hong Kong issues, in response to restrictionsslapped on Chinese officials this week over Beijing’s harsh clampdown onthe city.*

The financial hub was rocked by pro-democracy protests last year that werelargely halted by a sweeping national security law imposed by Beijing,drawing criticism over eroding rights from countries including the US.

On Monday, the US said it was freezing any US assets and barring travel tothe United States for 14 vice-chairs of the Standing Committee of theNational People’s Congress, which spearheaded the tough new law.

In response, China would impose “sanctions on US executive officials,congressional personnel, non-governmental organization personnel … who haveperformed badly on Hong Kong-related issues,” foreign ministry spokeswomanHua Chunying told a press briefing Thursday.

Their immediate family members would also be affected, Hua said.

She said the government had also decided to cancel “visa exemptiontreatment” for temporary visits to Hong Kong and Macau by US diplomaticpassport holders.

The moves were “in view of the United States using Hong Kong-related issuesto seriously interfere in China’s internal affairs,” she said, calling forthe US to “stop going further down a wrong and dangerous path.”

No details about when the sanctions would become active or the people theywould affect were given.

The United States has already slapped sanctions on Hong Kong’s pro-Beijingleader, Carrie Lam.

China’s rubber-stamp parliament pushed through the draconian new securitylaw in June.

Critics say it decimates the freedoms once enjoyed in Hong Kong, enshrinedin an agreement made before the 1997 handover from British colonial ruleback to China.

China says the law and prosecution of critics is needed to restorestability after last year’s huge and often violent protests. -APP/AFP