Russian oligarch superyacht in Hong Kong deepens US-China divide

Beijing and Washington have crossed swords over the docking of a superyacht linked to a sanctioned Russian billionaire in Hong Kong. The Russian-flagged Nord, believed to be owned by Alexei Mordashov who is among Russian oligarchs facing penalties imposed by the United States, European Union and Britain for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, arrived in Hong Kong waters on October 5, 2022. The US has warned that Hong Kong’s reputation as a financial centre could be damaged after the city said it would not enforce sanctions imposed by other countries. The Chinese government accused the US of “smearing the city”.