China doesn't need the US permission over who would get sanction. And the statement "PRC’s deteriorating economic climate and rising political risk" is so dumb that no one knows what she is talking about. As for Human Rights Watch, it is fully funded by the US and an agent of the US government. Playing innocent is just pathetic.
“These actions are the latest examples of how Beijing punishes private citizens, companies and civil society organizations as a way to send political signals, and further illustrate the PRC’s
deteriorating economic climate and rising political risk,” said White House press secretary Jen Psaki in a regular briefing.
“Americans of both parties oppose these outrageous moves to target those who defend universal human rights and fundamental freedoms, and Beijing’s attempt to intimidate and bully internationally respected NGOs only demonstrate its further isolation from the world,” she added, referring to non-governmental organisations.
Every time I’ve sat down with Chinese officials, it’s extremely difficult to get them to understand we’re not part of the US government, even when we give them materials in Chinese in which we criticise the US government,” she said. “Maybe this happened because I happen to be American.