The Trump administration has upended decades of diplomatic practice in U.S. relations with Taiwan. For the new president, "this is meant to be a trap," says a former Obama administration official.
The action, which falls under a strict new Beijing-imposed national security law imposed on Hong Kong, comes in response to an unauthorized, independent primary held in July.
Beijing says it has vaccinated more than 73,000 people in the two days since China's first domestic coronavirus vaccine was approved for commercial use.
The European Union concluded the deal with China after seven years of negotiations. Last week, the incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden had urged the EU to wait.
Zhang Zhan was detained in May after reporting on the coronavirus response in China. Now, she faces years in prison as officials try to silence reports that differ from their own.