Transnational Repression and the Reach of Sanctions: U.S. Measures Against Chinese and Hong Kong Officials

On March 31, 2025, the United States sanctioned six Chinese and Hong Kong officials in response to acts of transnational repression.[1] Transnational repression is “any action taken by a foreign government or an agent of a foreign government involving the transgression of national borders through physical, digital, or analog means in order to intimidate, silence coerce, harass, or harm members of diaspora and exile communities… in order to prevent the exercise of their human rights.”[2]