current round of negotiations in the tariff war
between the world’s two largest economies.
The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy
Act of 2019 passed both houses of Congress
nearly unanimously. It amends a law passed
in 1992 to buttress the former British colony’s
status as a semi-autonomous region after China
took control in 1997.
It’s that special status that has enabled Hong
Kong residents to take to the streets in massive,
often violent protests in the past six months,
exercising civil liberties the ruling Communist
Party prohibits in mainland China.
The law calls for sanctions against Chinese and
Hong Kong officials deemed to have abused
human rights.
A separate law bans exports of tear gas, pepper
spray, rubber bullets, water cannons, tasers
and other “nonlethal” weapons often used in
riot control.
China’s foreign ministry said the support for the
protesters, who have at times paralyzed parts
of the city with mass transport disruptions,
university occupations and clashes with police,
amounts to backing for “violent criminals.”
In a reflection of Beijing’s assertion that the
protests are part of a foreign conspiracy, the
ministry said the legislation should unite
Chinese, including those in Hong Kong, in
opposition to “sinister” U.S. intentions.
The legislation includes a provision that could
profoundly alter U.S. treatment of Hong Kong
as a separate territory for trade if an annual
review by the State Department determines
it no longer has enough autonomy from the
Chinese mainland.