US secretary of state Marco Rubio on Thursday said the United States will limit visas for Central American nationals who work on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to carry out actions that weaken the rule of law in the region. Rubio’s statement outlined a new visa policy targeting Central Americans who, while in their countries, knowingly direct, fund, support, or carry out activities for the CCP that undermine law and governance. The US said it is committed to countering China’s influence in Central America and stopping attempts to destabilise legal and political systems. Under this policy, some individuals who have already engaged in such activities, along with their immediate family members, will generally not be allowed entry into the US.“Central American nationals who, while in Central American countries and intentionally acting on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), knowingly direct, authorise, fund, provide significant support to, or carry out activities that undermine the rule of law in Central America,” the statement read. Rubio said these steps reflect president Trump’s focus on protecting America’s economic and security interests in the region. He added that the US will continue holding Central American nationals accountable if they intentionally work with the CCP to destabilise the hemisphere. The secretary is visiting Ecuador, where he met its president Daniel Noboa Azin and engaged with the US embassy to discuss fighting organised crime and curbing illegal immigration.