China ‘Firmly Opposes’ Trump’s New Blacklist on Wrongful Detention
China has strongly criticised U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order creating a new blacklist for countries accused of unjustly detaining Americans, warning that the move could seriously strain ties between Beijing and Washington. The order, signed on Friday, empowers the U.S. to designate states as “sponsors of wrongful detention,” a label modeled after the designation of state sponsors of terrorism. Countries on the list would face sanctions, U.S. export restrictions, and visa bans for officials linked to the detentions. While the Trump administration did not immediately name targets, a senior U.S. official said China, Iran, and Afghanistan were under review for what Washington described as “persistent hostage diplomacy.” The State Department could also restrict U.S. citizens from traveling to any country blacklisted under the new measure. Responding on Monday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian dismissed the accusations, saying Beijing […]