China warns of visa bans on Americans

China said Monday that it would retaliate against US moves to punish officials tied to political crackdowns in Hong Kong by imposing visa restrictions on Americans it considers to have “performed badly” on matters regarding the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian gave no details in making the announcement at a daily briefing. It wasn’t clear if the measure targeted only US government officials or those in the private sector as well.

It comes as China’s legislature is expected to pass a national security law for Hong Kong on Tuesday that critics say will severely limit opposition politics and freedom of speech in the city.