TAIPEI, Taiwan — 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.
The mainland's ruling Communist Party says Taiwan, which split from the mainland in 1949 amid a civil war, must be reunited with China by force if necessary. Beijing says Taipei has no right to conduct foreign relations and views visits by U.S. lawmakers to the island as violating its claims of sovereignty.
The sanctions against Rep. Michael McCaul include freezing his assets and properties in China, prohibiting any organization or individual in China from conducting transactions or working with him, and denying him a visa to enter the country, according to a statement Thursday from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
It's one of several rounds of sanctions China announced as tensions build between Beijing and Washington.
China retaliated for U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's meeting on April 5 with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen by sanctioning the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and other organizations, adding to strains over the self-governed island democracy Beijing claims as part of its territory. It then launched a large-scale three-day military exercise surrounding the island, sending more than 200 warplanes toward Taiwan.
McCaul, R-Texas, visited Taiwan from April 6 to 8 to discuss weapons deals between…
