China summons US ambassador over Hong Kong Bill

Hours after US President Donald Trump signed a bill in support of the pro-democracy protestors in Hong Kong, China on Thursday summoned US Ambassador Terry Branstad.

China's Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng summoned Branstad in response to the bill which slaps economic sanctions on individuals who commit human rights violations in Hong Kong and bars them from entering the US, Sputnik reported.

Early in the day, the Chinese Foreign Ministry also released a statement in which it firmly opposed the United States signing of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act into law, saying that the move is a "serious interference" in China's internal affairs.

The ministry stated that the bill is also in serious violation of international law and basic norms governing international relations. The Chinese government and the people firmly oppose such stark hegemonic acts.

It is a gross hegemonic move as it meddles with Beijing's domestic affairs, the statement said.

Trump on Wednesday (local time) signed the bill in support of the pro-democracy protestors in the semi-autonomous region. The act became law, a week after the House and Senate passed it with veto-proof majorities, according to US media reports.

The legislation also aims at banning the export of certain munitions to the Hong Kong police.