The U.S. State Department said that Hong Kong's offered bounties for six more pro-democracy campaigners who were deemed to have violated national security laws and the revoking of the passports of seven more amounted to intimidation efforts.

The Hong Kong government has condemned Washington for extending sanctions imposed on local officials through to November 2019. US President Joe Biden signed the US$895 billion (HK$6.94 trillion) National Defense Authorization Act on Monday – an annual piece of legislation that funds US defence and directs foreign policy.

Hong Kong police have announced a fresh round of arrest warrants for six activists based overseas, with bounties set at $1 million Hong Kong dollars for information leading to their arrests.

Hong Kong offered bounties of HK$1 million ($128,728) on Tuesday for six more pro-democracy campaigners deemed to have violated national security laws, and revoked the passports of seven more, as the Asian financial hub keeps up a security campaign.

Former lawmaker Dennis Kwok, who was born in Canada, had his passport cancelled by Hong Kong, while bounties were issued for a Vancouver-based newspaper editor and a federal Conservative candidate

The Hong Kong government cancelled the passports of seven overseas-based activists under the new national security law and banned the handling of funds related to these individuals.

The Hong Kong government has condemned “slanderous remarks” by the US, UK, Canada, the European Union (EU) and “anti-China organisations,” after they criticised a new round of national security arrest warrants,

US State Department issues statement after Hong Kong places HK$1 million bounties on six activists, cancels passports of seven others.