Pompeo slaps sanctions on China, Cuba

Lame-duck US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has slapped "insane" sanctions on China and Cuba despite the ongoing transition to the Biden administration.

Citing the transition of power to the incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden, Pompeo cancelled on Tuesday all travels scheduled by the State Department.

US faces extraordinary humiliation as Europeans refuse to meet with Pompeo

European leaders refuse to meet with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, forcing him to cancel a trip to Europe, and the US envoy to the United Nations (UN) scraps a trip to Taiwan.

With just five days left before Pompeo turns in his keys at the State Department, the outgoing secretary slapped new sanctions on several countries.

"We condemn PRC actions that erode Hong Kong's freedoms and democratic processes and will continue to use all tools at our disposable to hold those responsible to account," Pompeo said, referring to the People's Republic of China.

The outgoing Trump administration's "insane" sanctions hit six Chinese nationals over the detention of 55 people in Hong Kong on January 6, including an American lawyer, John Clancey.

Among those taken action against were Tam Yiu-Chung, the Hong Kong delegate to the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, and You Quan, the vice chairman of the Chinese government group that handles policy toward Hong Kong and fellow former colony Macau.

In addition Sun Qingye, deputy director of the central government’s national security office in the city and three officers with Hong Kong police’s national security unit: Frederic Choi Chin-pang, Kelvin Kong Hok-lai and Andrew Kan Kai-yan were among those sanctioned.

Hong Kong leader: US sanctions no more than a personal inconvenience

Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam says she is not upset about the sanctions imposed by the United States against her, vowing to continue to do what is right for the semi-autonomous Chinese city.

The US had earlier took action against Hong Kong's top leader, Chief Executive Carrie Lam.

Pompeo also announced fresh actions on a Chinese steel company and a UAE-based building materials firm for working with Iran Shipping Lines, which is already under US sanctions.

Outgoing US administration imposes fresh sanctions on Iran

The sanctions target companies in Iran, China and the United Arab Emirates.

On Friday, the Treasury Department said it was imposing sanctions on Cuba's interior minister, Lazaro Alberto Alvarez Casas, days after Pompeo said he was putting the island back on the US list of state sponsors of terrorism.

On Monday, Pompeo said in a statement that Cuba was designated as a "State Sponsor of Terrorism" for "repeatedly providing support for acts of international terrorism in granting safe harbor Pompeo  to terrorists."

Pompeo pointed to the arrest in 2019 of Cuban dissident Jose Daniel Ferrer, who was held in a prison run by the interior ministry "where he reported being beaten, tortured and held in isolation."

"The Castro regime's repression of fundamental freedoms requires the condemnation and action of all countries that respect human dignity," Pompeo said, referring to former presidents Fidel and Raul Castro.

Cuba blasts US sanctions on interior ministry as ‘coercive measure’

Cuba has blasted US sanctions against its interior ministry, denouncing the hostile move as a “coercive measure” against the Caribbean nation.

 In the meantime, all eyes are on Biden, who will take office on January 20.

During his campaign rallies, Biden said he would promptly reverse the Trump administration unfair and disastrous policies. 

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