China Imposes Counter Sanctions On US Nationals

China said on Tuesday it has imposed sanctions on four US nationals in what it says is a "reciprocal countermeasure" to Washington's earlier sanctions against four mainland officials over Xinjiang issues.

The Foreign Ministry said the four are Nadine Maenza, the Chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, the group's vice-chair Nury Turkel, as well as two of its commissioners.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said the four are prohibited from entering China, including Hong Kong and Macau, their properties in China are frozen, and they'll be banned from doing business with Chinese citizens and institutions.

The US imposed sanctions on four mainland officials earlier this month, citing its concerns over human rights issues in Xinjiang.