The US on Friday sanctioned Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam as well as 10 other Chinese and Hong Kong officials for their role in crackdowns on political freedom in the region -- the latest measure taken by the Trump administration in response to China's imposition of a controversial national security law on Hong Kong.

"The US action (Friday) was a blatant interference in Hong Kong's affairs and in China's internal affairs," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Monday.

CNN also reached out to the US State Department.

Lauren Blair Aronson, spokesperson for Cruz, said in a statement Monday that China "thinks that it can distract from its crackdown on Hong Kong, including the arrest of freedom fighter Jimmy Lai, by re-announcing sanctions against Sen.

"The act is shameless and despicable, and is resented by the people of Hong Kong and the whole nation....The HKSAR Government fully supports the move and will facilitate its enforcement in accordance with the law.''

Humans Rights Watch Executive Director Kenneth Roth, President of the National Endowment for Democracy Carl Gershman, President of National Democratic Institute Derek Mitchell, President of the International Republican Institute Daniel Twining and President of Freedom House Michael Abramowitz were also sanctioned.