The Chinese government has announced sanctions against outgoing secretary of state Mike Pompeo and 27 other high-ranking officials under former United States President Donald Trump, accusing them of "prejudice and hatred against China."
In a strongly-worded statement published after US President Joe Biden was sworn into office in the early hours of Thursday morning, Beijing time, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said the former Trump administration officials were "anti-China politicians" who had undermined the relationship between the US and China.
"(They) have planned, promoted and executed a series of crazy moves which have gravely interfered in China's internal affairs, undermined China's interests, offended the Chinese people, and seriously disrupted China-US relations," the statement said.
China's move underscores the fractious and oftentimes hostile relationship between Washington and Beijing during Trump's time in office, and comes as China's state news agency posted a message on social media proclaiming, "Good riddance, Donald Trump!"
