The U.S. Congress passed Resolution 130 with a high vote on April 19, condemning the Chinese Communist Party and the Hong Kong government for violating the rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong, encouraging the U.S. government to protect the rights of Hong Kong people, and supporting international sanctions against Chinese and Hong Kong officials. In her speech to Congress, Pelosi emphasized that the U.S. has always supported the issue of democracy and freedom in Hong Kong in a bipartisan manner.
Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, sponsored Resolution 130 and called on lawmakers to pass it unanimously in Congress.
Meeks said, “By passing this resolution, Congress is making a strong bipartisan demand that the Chinese (Communist Party of China) and Hong Kong governments respect the will of the people of Hong Kong.” The cross-party resolution ultimately passed with a high vote, with only one vote against.
Speaking before Congress, Meeks called on his colleagues to pass the resolution unanimously.
The resolution “condemns the continued violation of the rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong by China (the Chinese Communist Party) and the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.” It calls on the Chinese Communist Party and the Hong Kong government to release Hong Kong democrats and politicians arrested under the “Hong Kong version of the National Security Law” and encourages the U.S. President, State Department and Treasury Department to work with other allies and partners to help protect the people of Hong Kong.
The resolution supports litigation in international courts against the Chinese government for its failure to comply with its legal commitments under the Sino-British Joint Declaration, continues to impose sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong government officials, and works with allies to ensure that enforcement of sanctions is multilateral in nature.
On the same day, U.S. Speaker of Congress Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) attended and spoke at a Hong Kong policy conference sponsored by the Hong Kong Democratic Council (HKDC).
Pelosi said, “Like everyone else, I am very sad to see Martin Lee and other pro-democracy activists sentenced for their peaceful protests. The trials and sentences (of pro-democracy activists) are further evidence of Beijing’s growing assault on the rule of law (in Hong Kong).”
Referring to Resolution 130 on Hong Kong’s freedom, she said, “We will continue to speak out loudly about Beijing’s repression and ensure that the Chinese (Communist) government’s attempts to silence voices are heard.”
Pelosi was on hand to speak during the congressional debate on Resolution 130. She stressed that the issue of supporting democracy and freedom in Hong Kong has always been cross-party.
She said that Hong Kong people’s response to the Chinese Communist Party’s crackdown is that “the dream of full autonomy will not be extinguished by injustice or intimidation. Hong Kong people want the U.S. Congress to continue to speak up for them and fight for them to get back the freedoms they were once guaranteed.
Senior Democratic Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey said the cross-party resolution is important and much needed now to condemn the persecution of human rights and the rule of law that the Chinese Communist Party has been inflicting on Hong Kong.
He also cited the CCP’s persecution of human rights, including “the Tibetans, the Uighurs, which has now turned into a genocide, and the persecution of freedom of worship, including Falun Gong.”
Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas), vice chairman of the Congressional Foreign Affairs Committee, said that Hong Kong people will no longer be seen waving American flags in the streets of Hong Kong during peaceful protests. They display symbols of freedom and could be arrested under the National Security Act, possibly for life in prison.
Even though freedom-loving Hong Kong people can no longer publicly ask for our support, we still hear their pleas,” he said. Americans hear their voices. It is more important than ever that we continue to stand with her [Hong Kong], with the people of Hong Kong.”
Chinese Communist Party’s Multi-Pronged Effort to Suppress Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Democratic Committee in Washington, DC, conducted a three-day Hong Kong policy conference from 19 to 21 to discuss international policy regarding Hong Kong, how Hong Kong people in foreign countries can help Hong Kong, how to apply for asylum in foreign countries, and how to use technology to help resist the dictatorship of the Chinese Communist Party.
In an interview with the Epoch Times, Zhu Mumin, managing director of the Hong Kong Democratic Commission, said that the Chinese Communist Party’s multi-pronged attacks and crackdowns on Hong Kong’s official (administrative), judicial, and press freedoms last week, and the heavy sentences handed down to a number of senior pro-democracy activists, were, so to speak, “used as hostages to coerce Hong Kong.
However, Zhu emphasized that the Chinese Communist Party will find that what it has done will be perceived by its Western supporters as an attack on individuals, such as US Congress Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has had a personal relationship with Li for many years. Such an attack would raise Western support for Hong Kong to a personal level, making them even more concerned about Hong Kong’s freedom.
The Hong Kong Democratic Committee, founded in September 2019, is the first lobbying organization launched by Hong Kong people in the United States.
The conference featured speakers including Speaker Pelosi, as well as Senators and Representatives from both sides of the aisle, including Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) Chairman Jeff Merkley, D-Oklahoma, and Sen. -Jeff Merkley, chairman of the CECC, and Democratic Representatives Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, John Cornyn of Texas, James Lankford of Oklahoma, and John Cornyn of Texas. James Lankford, Republican Senator from Florida Rick Scott, and Democratic Congressman Ami Bera of California, a member of the Congressional International Relations Committee, among others.
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