China May Put US Lawmakers On “No-Entry List” In Retaliation For Hong Kong Bill

Global Times editor-in-chief and notorious twitter troll, Hu Xijin ,tweeted Thursday that China is considering adding those who drafted the Hong Kong Bill of Rights and Democracy Act into law on a no-entry list, banning them from traveling to China’s mainland, Hong Kong, and Macau.

Based what I know, out of respect for President Trump, the US and its people, China is considering to put the drafters of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act on the no-entry list, barring them from entering Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao.

— Hu Xijin 胡锡进 (@HuXijin_GT) November 28, 2019

Xijin hasn’t provided additional details on the no-entry list, nor the names of US lawmakers who would be placed on it. 

US Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, one of the main sponsors of the Hong Kong rights bill, applauded President Trump Wednesday “for signing this critical legislation into law.”

#NEW @POTUS statement on #HongKong bill pic.twitter.com/Hf5Yw87zPB

— Greta Wall (@GretaLWall) November 27, 2019

“The US now has new and meaningful tools to deter further influence and interference from Beijing into Hong Kong’s internal affairs. Following last weekend’s historic elections in Hong Kong that included record turnout, this new law could not be more timely in showing strong US support for Hong Kongers’ long-cherished freedoms,” Rubio said in a statement.

The Hong Kong Bill of Rights and Democracy Act was first introduced during the 116th US Congress, as a direct response to the Hong Kong extradition bill, also known as the Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2019, was a proposed bill regarding extradition of fugitives in Hong Kong to mainland China. The proposal sparked violent protests in the city, now entering the sixth month as the regional economy has crashed into a nasty recession. 

The US House bill was sponsored by Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Chris Smith (R-NJ), while the Senate bill was sponsored by Marco Rubio (R-FL). 

Co-sponsors for the US House bill included Tom Suozzi (D-NY), Scott Perry (R-PA), Brad Sherman (D-CA), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA).

Co-sponsors for the US Senate bill included Jim Risch (R-ID), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Angus King (I-ME), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Josh Hawley (R-MO).

It’s still not clear which US lawmakers could be placed on the no-entry list, but one thing is clear, Rubio isn’t traveling to China’s mainland, Hong Kong, and Macau anytime soon.