China sanctions two U.S. individuals

BEIJING, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- China has decided to take countermeasures and sanction two U.S. individuals in response to the U.S. sanctions against two Chinese officials on Dec. 9 over alleged human rights issues related to Tibet.

In accordance with China's Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law, the Chinese side has decided to take reciprocal sanctions against Miles Maochun Yu and Todd Stein, according to the Foreign Ministry on Friday.

Their assets of all kinds in China will be frozen. All organizations and individuals within China are prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. The two people and their immediate family members are banned from visas or entry to China, according to the ministry.

The countermeasures became effective on Friday.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning was asked to comment on China's sanctions at a daily news briefing.

"The U.S. has imposed illegal sanctions on Chinese officials under the pretext of the so-called human rights issues related to Tibet, which gravely interferes in China's internal affairs and violates basic norms governing international relations," Mao said.

Mao said that China has expressed firm opposition to and strongly condemned the actions of the United States.

She stressed that Tibetan affairs are purely China's internal affairs, and the United States has no right or qualification to arbitrarily interfere.

"Gross interference in China's internal affairs will be resolutely countered by China," Mao said, adding that China urges the U.S. side to lift its sanctions and stop interfering in Tibetan affairs and China's internal affairs.