China announces countermeasures against U.S. entity, individuals over Xinjiang

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday announced countermeasures against U.S. intelligence and data company Kharon and two individuals over Xinjiang.

Kharon provided a "basis" for illegal U.S. sanctions on Xinjiang and that the company's Director of Investigations Edmund Xu and Nicole Morgret, a U.S. human rights analyst and former researcher at the Center for Advanced Defense Studies, were denied entry into China, including the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told the media at a daily briefing on Tuesday. 

All assets of Kharon and the duo in China will be frozen, and they're banned from engaging in transactions, cooperation and other activities with organizations and individuals within the territory of China, Mao added. 

The move came after the U.S. added two Chinese officials and three companies to its sanctions list over alleged links to human rights abuses against Uygur and other ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Mao told reporters that the Chinese side expressed strong opposition and has lodged solemn representation to the U.S. over its action while condemning it as yet another serious interference in China's internal affairs and a gross violation of international law and basic norms of international relations.

The U.S. move also "tarnishes China's image and seriously damages the legitimate rights and interests of relevant Chinese officials and enterprises," Mao said, urging the U.S. to revoke its illegal unilateral sanctions and stop implementing the so-called Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act and other erroneous bills.

"If the U.S. is bent on moving ahead, China is ready to make a due response," said Mao. 

(Cover: The Chinese Foreign Ministry. /CFP)