US says it is restricting visas of some Central American nationals over China ties

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that Washington was restricting visas for some Central American nationals who it alleged to be "intentionally acting on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party" and undermining the rule of law.

The statement from Rubio did not name any individuals or cite specific examples of actions over which they were being targeted.

Washington and Beijing have had strained ties for years over issues like trade tariffs, cybersecurity, intellectual property, spying, the origins of COVID-19, the ownership of TikTok and the situations in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

In recent years, Beijing has looked to improve its foothold in Latin American, a region historically under the U.S. sphere of influence.

"As a result, these individuals and their immediate family members will be generally ineligible for entry into the United States," Rubio said in his statement.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Rubio's statement.

The visa restriction policy will allow Washington to restrict U.S. visas for "Central American nationals who, while in Central American countries and intentionally acting on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), knowingly direct, authorize, fund, provide significant support to, or carry out activities that undermine the rule of law in Central America," Rubio said.