Lame-duck U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has slapped "insane" sanctions on China.

Washinton, January 17 (RHC)-- Lame-duck U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has slapped "insane" sanctions on China and Cuba despite the ongoing transition to the Biden administration.  Citing the transition of power to the incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden, Pompeo cancelled all travel scheduled by the State Department.

With just a few days left before Pompeo turns in his keys at the State Department, the outgoing secretary apparently wants to get in his last blows.  "We condemn PRC actions that erode Hong Kong's freedoms and democratic processes and will continue to use all tools at our disposable to hold those responsible to account," Pompeo said, referring to the People's Republic of China.

The outgoing Trump administration's "insane" sanctions hit six Chinese nationals over the detention of 55 people in Hong Kong on January 6, including an American lawyer, John Clancey.

Among those taken action against were Tam Yiu-Chung, the Hong Kong delegate to the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, and You Quan, the vice chairman of the Chinese government group that handles policy toward Hong Kong and fellow former colony Macau.

In addition Sun Qingye, deputy director of the central government’s national security office in the city and three officers with Hong Kong police’s national security unit: Frederic Choi Chin-pang, Kelvin Kong Hok-lai and Andrew Kan Kai-yan were among those sanctioned.

Pompeo also announced fresh actions on a Chinese steel company and a UAE-based building materials firm for working with Iran Shipping Lines, which is already under U.S. sanctions.

On Friday, the Treasury Department said it was imposing sanctions on Cuba's interior minister, Lazaro Alberto Alvarez Casas, days after Pompeo said he was putting the island back on the so-called U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism.