China has further escalated tensions with Taiwan by implementing sanctions on Hsiao Bi-khim, Taiwan’s ambassador to the US, banning her and family from entering the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, and Macau. The nature of the sanctions were announced by China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, which added that investors and firms related to Bi-khim were also banned from engagement with mainland individuals and organizations.

The news comes after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen traveled to the US to meet with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy earlier this week, a move that China has characterized as a "provocation." China maintains that Taiwan is a Chinese territory, while Taiwan claims independence.

Hsiao tweeted: “Wow, PRC (People’s Republic of China) just sanctioned me again, for the second time.”