China imposes sanctions on US institutions and employees after the visit of the President of Taiwan

Beijing (CNN) – The Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement that on Friday, China imposed sanctions on two American institutions and their directors because of the visit of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen to the United States.

The Washington-based Hudson Institute and the California-based Ronald Reagan Presidential Library are prohibited from any cooperation, exchange or transaction with Chinese institutions and individuals.

China’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday that the top managers of these organizations will be banned from visiting China, they will not be able to deal or cooperate with Chinese organizations or individuals, and any assets in China will be frozen.

“The Hudson Institute and the Reagan Library provided a platform and facilitated Tsai’s separatist activities, seriously undermining China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the ministry said.

CNN has contacted the Hudson Institute and the Roland Reagan Presidential Library for comment. It is not clear if any of these organizations have assets in China that could be affected.

The move follows Tsai’s visit to the United States last week, during which on Wednesday the Reagan Library hosted a meeting between Tsai and US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy in the face of Beijing’s protest.

Last week, the Hudson Institute presented Tsai with its Global Leadership Award in New York, noting her “great courage and demonstrated determination to resist authoritarianism,” according to the institute.

Chinese state media reported on Friday that China had also imposed sanctions on Hsiao Bi Khiem, Taiwan’s de facto ambassador to the United States. China previously imposed sanctions on Hsiao last August, after a visit to the island by the then Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi. On Friday, Hsiao responded via his Twitter account to the sanctions, saying, “Oh my God, the People’s Republic of China has punished me again for the second time.”

Two Taiwanese organizations, the Prospect Foundation and the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats, have also been targeted with sanctions that prevent them from cooperating with organizations and individuals from mainland China. The Taiwan Affairs Office said its directors are banned from entering mainland China.