US State Secretary Antony Blinken highlighted China's consistent undermining of Hong Kong's promised high level of autonomy, democratic institutions, and rights and freedoms over the past year, including the recent enactment of Article 23, a new national security law.

The rapid expansion began as a poverty alleviation scheme but serves a dual national security role, the report quoted the ruling Chinese Communist Party officials as saying.

The Beijing Football Association said on Saturday it would not organise Argentina's scheduled friendly against Ivory Coast in Beijing in March, reportedly saying to local media: "Beijing does not plan, for the moment, to organise the match in which Lionel Messi was to participate."