US waging economic war against China over Hong Kong: Analyst

The United States has escalated its long-standing economic war against China over a security law that Beijing enacted for Hong Kong in late June, says an American analyst and radio host.

“The US is at war with all sovereign, independent countries by other means. It wants them all to transform into US vassal states, key ones especially, China, Russia, Iran or we see what's going on against Venezuela,” Stephen Lendman said in an interview on Saturday.

“The latest sanctions are against Hong Kong officials. I believe it's the first time the US has sanctioned individuals and entities [in Hong Kong]. Eleven individuals in Hong Kong were sanctioned. I believe this is the first time the US has done that. There have been many examples of US sanctions on China, but the US forgot that Hong Kong is part of China,” he said.

Following last year's anti-government protests in Hong Kong, Beijing enacted a new national security law that criminalizes sedition, secession, and subversion against the mainland.

The law also paves the way for Chinese national security institutions to operate in the city for the first time since 1997, when Hong Kong returned from British to Chinese rule. Those offenses are punishable by sentences of up to life in prison.

The US Treasury Department announced on Friday that it was freezing US-based assets of Chief Executive Carrie Lam and 10 other senior officials in Hong Kong, also criminalizing any financial transactions with the aforementioned individuals.

US sanctions Hong Kong leader; China blasts 'barbarous' move

The US has imposed sanctions on Hong Kong’s leader and a number of other key officials over a security law that China enacted for the semi-autonomous region in late June.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin claimed in a statement that Lam was sanctioned because she is "is directly responsible for implementing Beijing's policies of suppression of freedom and democratic processes."

Lendman said, “The US forgot that Hong Kong is part of China.”

“It's a Chinese city. It's no different than New York being a US city or my city of Chicago being part of the US. These cities, federal law applies to them. Chinese law applies to Hong Kong,” he noted.

“China gives Hong Kong certain latitude, but it certainly does not want Hong Kong to go its own way, independent of China, because it's a Chinese city. It doesn't make any sense to do it any other way,” he added. “The US is waging endless sanctions war on China.”

Lendman further said that it is not clear whether the White House will ease its belligerent policy against China if presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden wins the presidential election in November. 

"The Democrats by no means are soft on China. They're very tough on China. Will they be a little less tough than Trump has been? Will they try to get along with China a little bit better than Trump has been?" he asked.

"The US is governed by a one party state with two right wings," he pointed out. "They take turns governing. On all major issues I've said this many times. They're pretty much on the same page."

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