China says countermeasures against Paraguayan, Belizean ministers meant to 'punish and warn others'

China said on Monday that the countermeasures it announced against a Paraguayan minister and a Belizean minister were taken "to punish them and warn others," citing their Taiwan-related activities that Beijing says seriously interfered in its internal affairs.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks at a regular press briefing in Beijing, hours after the ministry published decisions to impose countermeasures on Gustavo Emigdio Villate Samaniego, Paraguay's minister of communication and technologies, and Francis Fonseca, Belize's minister of foreign affairs, foreign trade, education, culture, science and technology.

The Taiwan question is a major issue of principle that bears on China's sovereignty and national reunification, and it is at the core of China's core interests, Mao said.

Certain politicians in Paraguay and Belize have willingly served as pawns for the Taiwan authorities' attempt to seek so-called "independence" by relying on external forces, she said, noting that they traveled to China's Taiwan region and received visiting "Taiwan independence" separatists, seriously interfering in China's internal affairs. She added that they have also spread false information about so-called "Chinese cyber attacks," attacked and smeared China, and caused an adverse international impact.

In response to these individuals' actions, China has, in accordance with the Law of the People's Republic of China on Countering Foreign Sanctions, issued a Foreign Ministry order announcing countermeasures, to punish them and warn others, the spokesperson added.

According to the ministry's announcements, the measures, effective October 12, include freezing the two officials' movable and immovable property and other assets within China; prohibiting organizations and individuals in China from conducting transactions, cooperation and other activities with them; and denying them visas and entry into China, including the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.

The decisions were made in accordance with Articles 3, 4, 6, 9 and 15 of the Law on Countering Foreign Sanctions, the ministry said.