The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced Friday it has imposed sanctions on eleven individuals for undermining Hong Kong’s autonomy and restricting the freedom of expression of Hong Kong citizens. On the list is the region's Chief Executive Carrie Lam.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin issued a statement saying the United States stands with the people of Hong Kong and will use its tools and authority to target those undermining their autonomy.

Also on the list are former and incumbent senior Hong Kong officials including commissioner of the Police Force Chris Tang and Secretary of Justice Teresa Cheng.

Officials of mainland China are also included such as Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of China's State Council.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also issued a statement saying the sanctions Washington imposed on Carrie Lam and other officials in Hong Kong send "a clear message" that China's new national security law is an "unacceptable" violation of the territory's "one country, two systems" policy.

He said the Chinese Communist Party has made it clear that Hong Kong will never again enjoy the high degree of autonomy that Beijing itself promised would last for 50 years.

The new measures will freeze assets held by sanctioned individuals in the U.S. and ban transactions through U.S.-based financial institutions.

The Chinese newspaper Global Times has criticized the move, citing an expert who argues Washington is interfering in China's internal affairs.