U.S. sanctions Chinese officials

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday said the United States would not issue visas to Chinese nationals and members of the Chinese Communist Party who engage in overseas influence operations and other forms of intimidation. The measure would ensure that “those responsible for actions that contravene the rules-based international order are not welcome in the United States,” Pompeo said.

What prompted the latest restrictions? Individuals affiliated with the Communist Party’s United Front Work Department have intimidated people outside China who speak out against the country’s abuse record in Tibet, Xinjiang, and elsewhere. Pompeo said the “coercive tactics” include releasing personal details online, threatening physical violence, and hampering academic freedom. In another attempt to curb China’s overseas influence, the State Department on Thursday reduced the length of tourist and business visas for ruling party officials and their immediate families from 10 years to one month.

Dig deeper: Read June Cheng’s report on China's crackdown on ethnic minorities in Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia.