BANGKOK (AP) 鈥 China sanctioned a U.S congressman Wednesday for 鈥渇requently interfering鈥 in China's domestic affairs, in its latest effort to express displeasure with U.S. politicians who have criticized China's policy and practice.
Rep. Jim McGovern is the top Democrat on the House Committee on Rules, and he co-chairs the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission. He represents Massachusetts and is a member of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, which focuses on China鈥檚 human rights record.
The sanctions against him are symbolic, since McGovern has no assets or business dealings in China. The sanctions include freezing his assets and properties in China, prohibiting any organization or individual in China from conducting transactions or working with him, and denying him and his family a visa to enter the country, according to a statement from China鈥檚 Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
McGovern called the sanctions absurd and said he would wear his 鈥渁s a badge of honor.鈥
鈥淚f (Chinese) leaders don't like it when people speak out against their horrific human rights record, maybe they should improve their horrific human rights record,鈥 McGovern wrote on the X social media platform. 鈥淭hey can start by ending their oppression of Tibetans, ending their genocide in Xinjiang, and ending their crackdown on democracy in Hong Kong.鈥
Beijing has previously sanctioned a number of U.S. lawmakers, former Trump administration officials, and companies.
It sanctioned , also chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and former Rep. In 2020 it Rep. Chris Smith and several U.S. senators, including Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz.
McGovern and McCaul, along with two senators, last year introduced bicameral legislation calling for stronger U.S. support for Tibet, a region in China where human rights groups have criticized authorities for the treatment of ethnic Tibetans. Congress approved the bill in June, and President Joe Biden signed it into law in July.
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Tang reported from Washington.
