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China slams US ban of Hong Kong chief John Lee from APEC summit
Reports citing US officials said Lee would be barred from the meeting to be held in San Francisco in November due to sanctions that the US had imposed on him in 2020.
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Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee (center) accompanied by Malaysia Transport Minister Anthony Loke (left) waves to the attendees of Malaysia - Hong Kong business luncheon during his visit to Malaysia at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia July 28, 2023. (Reuters/Hasnoor Hussain)
C
hina has lodged a strong protest to the United States over the latter’s barring of Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee from attending this year’s APEC leaders’ summit.
Reports citing US officials said Lee would be barred from the meeting to be held in San Francisco in November due to sanctions that the US had imposed on him in 2020.
US sanctions on Chinese personnel, including Lee, are illegal and unreasonable, an act of bullying and a serious violation of basic norms guiding international relations, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Friday.
“It is yet another mistake not to invite Hong Kong’s chief executive to the APEC meeting by citing those sanctions as a reason,” Mao said as quoted by China Daily.
Noting that APEC hosts have a responsibility to ensure the participation in the organization’s meetings of representatives of all the member economies, Mao said the US’ refusal to invite Lee to November’s meeting is a “blatant violation of APEC rules, and contravenes the US’ commitment as host”.
Reuters reported in June that a group of lawmakers, including Republican Senator Marco Rubio, sent a letter to the US State Department urging it to bar Lee from the US.
The Washington Post on Thursday reported the US decision on Lee, citing US officials, and on Friday two congressional aides confirmed to Reuters that the State Department had notified members of Congress that Lee would not be invited.
Rubio said on messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that it was the "right call," even if the decision took longer than it should have.
"Hosting a sanctioned human rights violator who represses Hong Kongers is a nonstarter," Rubio said.
In its 2020 designation of Lee, the US Treasury Department said he had been involved in the "coercing, arresting, detaining, or imprisoning" of people in the Chinese city who had protested against the national security law.
A State Department spokesperson, asked about the decision, said the participation of all delegations in APEC events will be "in accordance with US laws and regulations and on the basis of the spirit and principles of APEC."
"We will work with Hong Kong, China to ensure appropriate participation in San Francisco," the spokesperson said, adding without giving details that US President Joe Biden had begun sending invitations for the event.
Mao urged the US to lift its sanctions on Lee and other Hong Kong officials, fulfill its duty as the APEC host by inviting Lee to the meeting, and ensure representatives of all APEC member economies, including Hong Kong, will participate in the meeting.
