China hits back at US threat of sanctions on int'l financial institutions over Hong Kong

Photo taken on July 1, 2020 shows the Golden Bauhinia Square after a flag-raising ceremony held by the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to celebrate the 23rd anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland in Hong Kong, south China. -Xinhua/Li Gang

BEIJING, Oct. 15 (Xinhua): China on Thursday expressed firm opposition to and denunciation of the U.S. side creating the so-called "Hong Kong Autonomy Act," and sanctioning Chinese personnel based on it, vowing countermeasures "if the U.S. is bent on going this way."

That came after the U.S. State Department's recent warning about tough sanctions soon to be put on international financial institutions doing business with Chinese individuals deemed responsible for undermining Hong Kong's autonomy.