A statement from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that in the past year, China had continued to take actions against Hong Kong's promised high degree of autonomy, democratic institutions, and rights and freedoms, including with the recent enactment of a new national security law known as Article 23.

"In response, the Department of State is announcing that it is taking steps to impose new visa restrictions on multiple Hong Kong officials responsible for the intensifying crackdown on rights and freedoms," Blinken said.

(Reporting by David Brunnstrom and Kanishka Singh; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)