Beijing, Oct 17 (TIWN) China has warned the US that it will retaliate strongly to the US Lower House passing the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which seeks to subject the former British colony's special status to Washington's scrutiny.

China’s foreign ministry issued the warning Wednesday after the U.S. House passed a package of measures backing a pro-democracy movement that has rocked the former British colony for more than four months. Among them was the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which subjects the city’s special U.S. trading status to annual reviews and provides for sanctions against officials deemed responsible for undermining its “fundamental freedoms and autonomy.”