The action follows months of protests over the Beijing government’s aggressive attempts to enforce control over the semi-autonomous territory.
One of the bills condemns China’s intrusions into Hong Kong’s affairs and supports the right of people to protest. Another requires annual reviews by the U.S. secretary of state of Hong Kong’s special economic and trade status, providing a check on Beijing’s influence over the territory. A third bill would ensure that U.S. weapons are not being used against protesters by police.
All three bills were approved on separate voice votes.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the bills important reminders of U.S. support for human rights in the face of significant commercial interests in China.
“If America does not speak out for human rights in China because of commercial interests, then we lose all moral authority to speak out on behalf of human rights any place in the world,” she said.
Pelosi said the bravery of young protesters in Hong Kong stands in contrast to “the cowardly government that refuses to respect the rule of law” and the “one country, two systems” policy that was supposed to ensure a smooth political transition after the former British colony was returned to China in 1997.
Under U.S. law, Hong Kong receives special treatment in matters of trade, customs, sanctions enforcement, law enforcement cooperation and more. China has benefited from this special status and used it to evade U.S. export controls and sanctions, Pelosi and other lawmakers said.
“Solemn promises made by Beijing are rarely kept and far too many leaders of the free world are far too eager to blindly accept fiction over fact,” said Rep. Christopher Smith, R-N.J., a lead sponsor of one of the Hong Kong bills.
President
Donald Trump -who is also currently attacked by the same House- said last week that he would “like to see a very humane solution” to the Hong Kong protests. “I hope that’s going to happen,” he said Oct. 7 at the White House. “And, you know, Hong Kong is very important as a world hub - not just for China, but for the world.”
Yesterday China Threatens to Retaliate If U.S. Enacts Hong Kong Bill.
