American Sanctions | Beijing compares Pompeo to “prayer mantis”

France Media Agency

Mike Pompey, a hawk who never lost the opportunity to speak out against China, spent his last days as head of the US embassy taking action against Beijing.

The United States on Friday imposed sanctions on six Chinese and Hong Kong officials, including a lone representative of a former British colony on China’s parliamentary standing committee.

The move comes in response to the recent arrests of 55 pro-democracy activists and former elected officials under the National Security Act.

“The evolution of Hong Kong from chaos to stability is irreversible,” the Hong Kong and Macao office in Beijing said Monday.

“People like Pompey are nothing but ridiculous prayer mantras that make a futile attempt to stop the course of history.”

The metaphor refers to a Chinese expression that mocks a prayer man trying to stop a chariot with its wheels.

U.S. sanctions have been called “political maneuvers,” and the bureau called on Pompeo to “end the show” when all other tactics ran out, ending President Donald Trump’s administration on Wednesday.

On Saturday, a Hong Kong executive criticized these “stupid, shameless and contemptuous” sanctions, expressing “its greatest anger” and condemning these “coercive actions”, indicating the latest attempt to interfere in Washington’s internal affairs. China.

Hong Kong created a sensation in 2019 through seven months of massive and often violent pro-democracy protests.

China called off the movement last year, including imposing a tough national security law on the financial center.

At least 90 people have been arrested under the law, and many more are accused of participating in protests or promoting democracy.

The United States has already imposed sanctions on eleven Hong Kong leaders, including Chief Executive Carrie Lam.