China warns US about interfering in internal affairs after Hong Kong report

China warned the U.S. against interfering in internal affairs amid tensions between Beijing and Washington over the mainland’s influence over Hong Kong. 

The warning came from Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian during a briefing on Tuesday after a report from the Financial Times stated that the U.S. would seek to warn foreign companies of the risks of operating in Hong Kong, according to Reuters. 

The U.S.’s move is “typical political manipulation and double standards,” Lijian said.

Lijian emphasized in his warning that the city’s laws protect foreign investors and companies. 

According to the Times, the U.S. government plans to warn foreign companies about operating out of Hong Kong over concerns about China’s access to sensitive data and information. 

The warning will also detail a new law that allows Beijing to impose sanctions on individuals or companies that place discriminatory policies on Chinese citizens or entities, according to the Times.

The Chinese government has moved to play a larger role in Hong Kong’s government amid pushback from the island’s residents and protests for democracy. In response, China has cracked down on Hong Kong’s democracy movements. 

Hong Kong’s pro-democracy newspaper, Apple Daily, was recently shut down by the government, and dozens of democracy activists are facing years in prison for their participation in the movement. 

The U.S. is also poised to update a warning Tuesday dating back to the Trump administration on Xinjiang, stressing the legal risks that a company takes if it is associated with forced labor in the region. 

The U.S. and its allies have alleged human rights abuses against Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang.