SAR Will Consider Counter-measures: Edward Yau

The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Edward Yau, says the SAR government will consider counter-measures, following the imposition of sanctions by the US on Friday night on the Chief Executive Carrie Lam and 10 other Hong Kong and mainland officials over the national security law.

Speaking after attending a radio programme on Saturday, Yau, who is not on the sanctions list, did not give any more detail.

Earlier on the programme he had described the sanctions as barbaric, saying they blatantly interfered in the internal affairs of another country. He said it was unreasonable for the US to target individuals and their assets - and uncivilised to make public their personal information.

Yau also accused the US of double standards, saying the US has its own laws to protect national security.

As well as Carrie Lam, the others hit with sanctions include Police Commissioner Chris Tang, his predecessor Stephen Lo, Justice Secretary Teresa Cheng and Security Secretary John Lee.

Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office director, Xia Baolong, and his deputies, Zhang Xiaoming and Luo Huining, are named, along with the director of the new Office for Safeguarding National Security, Zheng Yanxiong.

The secretary general of the Committee for Safeguarding National Security, Eric Chan; and Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Erick Tsang, are also on the list.

Earlier, the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the US would not stand by while the people of Hong Kong suffer what he called "brutal oppression at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party or its enablers."