China imposes sanctions against US individual over religious issues

BEIJING -- China has decided to impose sanctions against Johnnie Moore, commissioner for the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, in response to the United States' unilateral sanctions against a Chinese official.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the announcement on Wednesday, slamming the US State Department's 2020 International Religious Freedom Report and its announcement of the sanctions.

"The so-called report, full of ideological prejudice, ignores the facts, wantonly denigrates China's religious policy and seriously interferes in China's internal affairs. China firmly opposes this," the spokesperson said.

China has decided to prohibit Johnnie Moore and his family from entering the Chinese mainland, as well as the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, because the United States openly endorsed cult organizations and imposed unilateral sanctions against Chinese personnel based on lies and false information, Zhao said.

"China urges the US side to correct its mistakes, retract the so-called sanctions and stop interfering in China's internal affairs under the pretext of the so-called religious issues," Zhao added.