China bans US Navy visits to Hong Kong

China has banned US warships and military aircraft from making stops in Hong Kong after Washington passed legislation supporting the territory's pro-democracy protesters.

"In response to the unreasonable behaviors of the US side, the Chinese government decides to suspend the review of requests by US military ships and aircraft to visit Hong Kong as of today," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a news conference in Beijing.

Hua also announced that Beijing would impose sanctions on several US non-governmental human rights orgzations that have been monitoring and reporting on the protests in Hong Kong, CNN reported.

The Chinese government accused the NGOs of supporting "anti-China people" and said they were instigating protesters "engaging in extreme crimes" in pursuit of Hong Kong's separation from China.

US President Donald Trump signed into law the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which allows Washington to sanction Chinese officials.

The new law permits Washington to suspend Hong Kong's special trading status over rights violations.

Hua said it was a "serious violation of international law and the basic norms governing international relations and interferes in China's internal affairs."

Urging the US to "correct" its mistakes and "stop interfering in our internal affairs", she said: "China will take further steps if necessary and we will uphold (Hong Kong's) prosperity, stability and our country's national sovereignty, security, and development."

( With inputs from ANI )