Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Following this month’s update on Hong Kong‘s autonomy, Secretary of State Antony Blinken (D-Mass.) issued a statement on the 31st submitting a report to Congress on the Hong Kong Policy Act, saying that the national security laws passed by the Chinese government and implemented by the Hong Kong government seriously infringe on the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong people, “I confirm to Congress that Hong Kong no longer has a high degree of autonomy to enjoy the treatment that the United States has accorded to Hong Kong since July 1997 under the law. Hong Kong as the United States has legally granted it since before July 1997.”
In a tweet, Buerken called on the Chinese government to change course and implement its international obligations and commitments.
On the eve of Beijing‘s passage of the Hong Kong version of the National Security Law in late June last year, then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo submitted the same report to Congress concluding that Hong Kong no longer had autonomy; now the first Hong Kong Policy Act report submitted during Buerken’s tenure has come to the same conclusion.
According to Bulken, the Chinese and Hong Kong governments have taken numerous actions to undermine the high degree of autonomy, freedom and democratic institutions promised to Hong Kong.
Bulken cited such actions as arbitrary arrests under Hong Kong’s version of the National Security Law, prosecution of its political opponents, activists and peaceful demonstrators based on political considerations, delaying Legislative Council elections, pressuring judicial independence, academic freedom and press freedom, and effectively banning public demonstrations.
Bulken said the U.S. will impose consequences on the 24 land-based officials who undermine Hong Kong’s autonomy, as outlined in the updated report on Hong Kong’s autonomy law released on the 16th of this month.
The U.S. continues to call on China to comply with its international obligations and commitments to cease its eradication of democratic institutions, self-government and the rule of law in Hong Kong, to immediately release and rescind all unjustly detained individuals, and to respect the human rights of all Hong Kong residents, said Bulken.
Under the U.S.-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992, the United States treats Hong Kong under Chinese rule as a “fully autonomous body in economic and trade matters “The President of the United States may issue an executive order to end or resume treatment of Hong Kong, depending on the status of Hong Kong’s autonomy; former President Trump signed an executive order in July last year to end the United States’ special status treatment of Hong Kong.
Secretary of State John Buergen releases a report on Hong Kong policy on July 31, criticizing the Chinese government for continuing to undermine autonomy. From Burkin’s Twitter feed
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