Bill in Congress Would Punish China for Intrusions in Hong Kong Autonomy

June 8, 2020 by Tom Ramstack
Bill in Congress Would Punish China for Intrusions in Hong Kong Autonomy
Hundreds of participants attend a candlelight vigil at Democracy Square in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, June 4, 2020, to mark the 31st anniversary of the Chinese military crackdown on the pro-democracy movement in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

WASHINGTON – Congress moved closer Thursday to approving economic sanctions against China for its interference with Hong Kong’s independence.

Most Democrats and Republicans on a Senate committee joined in saying the United States must take action to condemn China’s plan to crack down on Hong Kong’s civil liberties.

“There’s bipartisan interest in getting legislation like this done as soon as possible,” said Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., during a Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing.

Before the United Kingdom handed over control of its colony to China in 1997, the Chinese agreed to keep Hong Kong autonomous from the mainland government. It would continue to have its own government, free press and free enterprise policies under the agreement.

Now, Hong Kong accuses China of gradually eroding its freedoms and breaking its promises of autonomy.

Protests in Hong Kong flared last month when China’s Central People’s Government approved a “national security” bill to squelch dissent in Hong Kong.

It would allow China to jail anyone it considered “subversive” for speaking out against the government. It also gives China greater control over Hong Kong’s financial and educational systems.

The Hong Kong government was not given an opportunity to vote on it.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Congress May 27 that Hong Kong was no longer separate from China. As a result, it no longer merits the customs and trade preferences the United States historically has given Hong Kong, he said.

A leading bill pending in Congress would freeze any property in the United States owned by Chinese officials who implement the Hong Kong national security law. In addition, U.S. banks would be prohibited from transactions with the Chinese officials or their business partners.

The ban could extend to Chinese banks that regularly do business in the U.S..

Toomey, who co-sponsored the bill, said it “penalizes the banks that choose to finance the erosion of Hong Kong’s autonomy and put marginal profits ahead of basic human rights.”

Most Democrats agreed China’s gradual takeover of Hong Kong was intolerable but they also questioned whether aggressive economic sanctions were the best response.

Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said sanctions were appropriate but cautioned that “new mandatory secondary sanctions on large foreign banks may be ineffective and have unintended consequences harmful to our strategic interests.”

Other Democrats, such as Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., criticized President Donald Trump for not acting decisively against China’s intrusions into Hong Kong’s autonomy.

“He said he stood with [Chinese] President Xi,” Menendez said.

He added, “Unfortunately, President Trump still has not made clear what he will do to make Beijing pay a price.”

A key witness during the hearing Thursday was Lee Cheuk Yan, vice chairman of the Hong Kong Labour Party, who described protests throughout the city-state.

Earlier in the day, he participated in a candlelight rally to commemorate the 31st anniversary of China’s Tiananmen Square massacre during a protest advocating for greater democracy.

He told of police with loudspeakers warning protesters.

“They are frightening people with all these scary threats about breach of the law,” Lee said while speaking remotely during the Senate hearing.

He said he is willing to accept the consequences of his dissent.

“We Hong Kongers will fight on,” Lee said.

A+
a-
  • China
  • Congress
  • Hong Kong
  • legislation
  • sanctions
  • In The News

    Health

    Voting

    Geopolitics

    Poland's President Calls on NATO Allies to Raise Spending on Defense to 3% of GDP

    WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland's president on Monday called on other members of the NATO alliance to raise their spending... Read More

    WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland's president on Monday called on other members of the NATO alliance to raise their spending on defense to 3% of their gross domestic product as Russia puts its economy on a war footing and pushes forward with its invasion of Ukraine.... Read More

    US Adults Fracture Along Party Lines in Support for Ukraine Military Funding, AP-NORC Poll Finds

    WASHINGTON (AP) — As Russia makes battlefield advances and Ukrainian soldiers run short on ammunition, U.S. adults have become fractured along party... Read More

    WASHINGTON (AP) — As Russia makes battlefield advances and Ukrainian soldiers run short on ammunition, U.S. adults have become fractured along party lines in their support for sending military aid to Kyiv, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Democrats are more likely... Read More

    At Paris Gathering, Western Leaders to Show Unity for Ukraine and Signal 'Russia Cannot Win'

    PARIS (AP) — More than 20 European heads of state and government and other Western officials are gathering in a... Read More

    PARIS (AP) — More than 20 European heads of state and government and other Western officials are gathering in a show of unity for Ukraine, signaling to Russia that their support for Kyiv isn't wavering as the full-scale invasion grinds into a third year. French President Emmanuel Macron,... Read More

    Harris Repudiates Trump Worldview and Says the US Won't Back Down on Ukraine's Defense

    MUNICH (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday warned of the dangers of growing authoritarianism and isolationism in a... Read More

    MUNICH (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday warned of the dangers of growing authoritarianism and isolationism in a not-so-veiled repudiation of Donald Trump’s worldview and threats to renege on security guarantees for NATO allies should he return to the White House. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Harris offered... Read More

    Biden Warns Opposing Ukraine Funding Plays 'Into Putin's Hands,' but Faces Resistance in House

    WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday called for House Republicans to urgently bring a $95.3 billion aid package... Read More

    WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday called for House Republicans to urgently bring a $95.3 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan to a vote, warning that refusal to take up the bill, passed by the Senate in the morning, would be "playing... Read More

    Biden Tells Congress to 'Show Some Spine' Against Trump as Border Security and Ukraine Aid Collapse

    WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday urged Congress to “show some spine” and stand up to Donald Trump... Read More

    WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday urged Congress to “show some spine” and stand up to Donald Trump even as a Senate deal on border enforcement measures and Ukraine aid was rapidly collapsing. The Democratic president has engaged for months with Senate leaders to... Read More

    News From The Well
    scroll top