US lawmakers urge Antony Blinken to slap sanctions on Hong Kong, Chinese officials for activists’ arrest warrants

The chairs of two bipartisan congressional panels are urging America’s top diplomat to impose sanctions on Hong Kong and Chinese officials involved in issuing arrest warrants and bounties last week on five opposition figures in the former British colony.

In a letter dated December 19, the top Democrats and Republicans on the House select committee on China and on the Congressional-Executive Commission on China asked US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to determine by January 19 whether seven Hong Kong-based officials were eligible for sanctions under existing law or executive order.