The National Democratic Institute (NDI) is aware that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China has again targeted NDI and the National Endowment for Democracy, announcing sanctions against NDI Asia-Pacific Regional Director Manpreet Singh Anand, as well as two former NDI employees. This follows previous sanctions against the Institute overall and NDI’s President Derek Mitchell. 

“While it remains unclear what this announcement means in practice, NDI will not waver in its commitment to support fundamental democratic principles transparently and legally across Asia and elsewhere,” said NDI President Derek Mitchell. “These sanctions may be yet another effort to silence NDI, but we will continue our work to support democratic institutions, promote constructive citizen engagement, and empower democratic voices, wherever they are, as they seek to protect their dignity, and assert their rights to free expression and responsive, representative governance.”  

NDI is a non-partisan, non-governmental organization that works with partners in over seventy countries to support democratic principles of transparency, accountability and inclusion. Since 1997, NDI has worked legally and transparently in Hong Kong with diverse partners from across the political spectrum in support of the democratic rights promised in the Basic Law and Sino-British Joint Declaration. NDI has not had an office or staff based in Hong Kong since 2017.