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China on Monday said it will ban entry to US senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, Representative Chris Smith and Ambassador for Religious Freedom Sam Brownback.
The decision was made because of the quartet's criticism of the Chinese Communist Party’s abuse of minority groups and religious people.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said actions by the US had “seriously damaged China-US relations” and that China was determined to uphold its national sovereignty against what it sees as interference in its internal affairs.
“China will respond further according to the development of the situation,” Hua said.
There was no indication that any of the four had plans to travel to China.
The authoritarian country has been much-lambasted for its treatment of the Uigur people of China's far-west.
China has been accused of systematically persecuting the Muslim-majority ethnic minority.
Some critics have said China's actions amount to genocide.
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