China sanctions US Congress member for Taiwan visit

By HUIZHONG WU
Associated Press

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — China sanctioned a United States lawmaker Thursday for his visit to Taiwan, saying he violated the “One China” principle that says Beijing has sovereignty over the island. Beijing says Taipei has no right to conduct foreign relations. The sanctions against Rep. Michael McCaul include freezing his assets and properties in China and denying him a visa to enter the country. It’s one of several rounds of sanctions China announced as tensions build between Beijing and Washington. The mainland’s ruling Communist Party says self-governed Taiwan, which split from the mainland in 1949 amid a civil war, must be reunited with China by force if necessary. McCaul on Thursday called the sanctions “a badge of honor.”