China vows retaliation over US moves on Hong Kong

China’s foreign ministry on Monday slammed the Trump administration’s planned changes to trading policy with Hong Kong, the latest in a string of criticism Chinese officials have levied against the U.S. following President Trump’s announcement of the move last week.

Reuters reported that foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters at a news conference that the end of the U.S.’s special trading relationship with Hong Kong, formerly a British colony, constituted interference with Chinese affairs.

“The announced measures severely interfere with China’s internal affairs, damage U.S.-China relations, and will harm both sides. China is firmly opposed to this,” Zhao reportedly said.

“Any words or actions by the U.S. that harm China’s interests will meet with China’s firm counterattack,” he continued.

His comments followed an official editorial in People’s Daily, a mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, over the weekend decrying what they call a “baton of sanctions” the U.S. purportedly wields against China. U.S. lawmakers are currently considering further sanctions on China over its targeting of Uighur Muslims and other minorities.

“The baton of sanctions that the United States is brandishing will not scare Hong Kong and will not bring China down,” read the editorial. “This hegemonic act of attempting to interfere in Hong Kong affairs and grossly interfere in China’s internal affairs will not frighten the Chinese people and is doomed to fail.”

Trump announced the changes to the U.S. relationship with Hong Kong last Friday at a news conference, telling reporters at the time that recent national security laws passed by China that experts warned would erode the territory’s autonomy would effectively end the “one country, two systems” policy that has existed in Hong Kong for years.

“China has replaced its promised formula for ‘one country two systems’ with ‘one country, one system,’” Trump said Friday. “Therefore I am directing my administration to begin the process of eliminating policy exemptions that give Hong Kong different and special treatment.”