On Friday, the US imposed extensive human rights-related sanctions on dozens of people and entities tied to China, Myanmar, North Korea and Bangladesh and added Chinese artificial intelligence company SenseTime Group to an investment blacklist. Canada and the UK joined the US in imposing sanctions related to human rights abuses in Myanmar while Washington also imposed the first new sanctions on North Korea under President Joe Biden’s administration and targeted Myanmar military entities, among others, in action marking Human Rights Day.
Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo stated, “Our actions today, particularly those in partnership with the UK and Canada, send a message that democracies around the world will act against those who abuse power of the state to inflict abuse suffering and repression.” China’s embassy in Washington denounced the US move as “serious interference in China’s internal affairs” and a “severe violation of basic norms governing international relations.” Embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu stated that it would do “grave harm to China-US relations” and urged Washington to rescind the decision.
