Trump to announce strong Hong Kong response this week

By Daphne Psaledakis and Jeff Mason

 

FILE PHOTO: White House National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow speaks in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., April 7, 2020. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the United States was working on a strong response to China's planned national security legislation for Hong Kong and it would be announced before the end of the week

 

China's parliament is expected to approve a proposed security law that would reduce Hong Kong's separate legal status on Thursday, calling into question the special economic status the territory currently enjoys under U.S. law.

 

At a White House news briefing, Trump was asked if he planned sanctions against China over Hong Kong and if he intended to put restrictions on visas for students and researchers from China. [W1N2B5014]

 

"We're doing something now. I think you'll find it very interesting ... I'll be talking about it over the next couple of days," he replied.

 

Pressed if this would include sanctions, he said: "No it's something you're going to be hearing about ... before the end of the week, very powerfully I think."

 

Trump did not elaborate, but earlier White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said he was displeased by the proposed security law and found it "hard to see how Hong Kong can remain a financial hub if China takes over."

 

Asked if this might mean an end to special economic treatment Washington affords to Hong Kong that has enabled it to maintain its position as a global financial center, McEnany said she had nothing to announce as to the precise response.

 

Trump's economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, earlier called Beijing's actions "very disturbing."

 

"China is making a big mistake, frankly," he said.

 

Kudlow said Washington would welcome back any American companies from Hong Kong or China's mainland. "We will do what we can for full expensing and pay the cost of moving if they return their supply chains and their production to the United States," he said.

 

Trump administration officials and lawmakers have been exploring ways to encourage U.S. firms to move supply chains for critical products back to the United States from China amid steadily worsening ties and bitter recriminations over the coronavirus pandemic, which began in China.

 

Proposals discussed so far include tax breaks, subsidies including a potential $25 billion "reshoring fund" and new local content rules.

 

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who is due to release a congressionally mandated assessment on whether Hong Kong enjoys sufficient autonomy to justify continued special economic treatment, said last week the legislation would be the "death knell" for the territory's autonomy.

 

If the State Department decertifies the territory, it would fall to Trump whether to decide to end some, all or none of the privileges Hong Kong currently enjoys.

 

Trump has previously warned of a strong reaction and national security adviser Robert O'Brien said the legislation could lead to U.S. sanctions and threaten Hong Kong's status as a financial hub.

 

Separately, the U.S. House of Representatives is expected on Wednesday to approve legislation to toughen Washington’s response to China's crackdown on its Uighur Muslim minority, sending it to Trump’s desk, congressional sources said.

 

Asked if he would sign the bill, which calls for sanctions against senior Chinese officials, Trump said he would hear more about the issue later on Tuesday and would “take a look at it very strongly,” but did not say how he would respond.

 

Kudlow also said that while Trump's Phase 1 trade deal with China reached in January was intact for now, the president was so "miffed" with Beijing over the novel coronavirus and other matters it was not as important to him as it once was.

 

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce business lobby urged Beijing to de-escalate the situation, saying it would be "a serious mistake" to jeopardize Hong Kong's special status.

 

(Reporting by Tim Ahmann, Lisa Lambert, Daphne Psaledakis, David Lawder, David Brunnstrom and Andrea Shalal; writing by David Brunnstrom; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Cynthia Osterman)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-05-27

 

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Thank you President Trump!

As a President he has been a disaster. 

He has significantly damaged his country's standing in the world and his moral authority is pretty much zero. He is not taken seriously  by anyone anymore,  excepting his core base. 

This is a tragedy because, on China, he is right!

The world needs a collective response to China across a range of issues, sadly Trump is in no position to lead this.

Edited May 27, 20206 yr by wordchild

Place North Korea on the table also. 

China is the culprit for inhumanity of North Korea and hindrance toward unified Korea too. 

Wonder how Joe would have handled China?  ????

3 minutes ago, Puchaiyank said:

Wonder how Joe would have handled China?  ????

You will know after November.????

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Pressed if this would include sanctions, he said: "No it's something you're going to be hearing about ... before the end of the week, very powerfully I think."

 

Probably nothing or a feeble response because he is scared of the retaliation. 

A conspiracy post has been reported and removed. 

This nativist president doesn't care whit for the people of HK. His threats will turn out to be empty.

 

He'll soon be back to making tweets how close he is to Xi while Hong Kongers get thrown under the bus.

 

 

7 hours ago, Kelsall said:

Thank you President Trump!

Thanks for what? Announcing that he's going to announce a strong response? Let's save the thank yous until once some real action, with positive results, is taken.

7 hours ago, Kelsall said:

Thank you President Trump!

The response will be "very strong, very beautiful. Probably the most beautiful response ever." 

5 hours ago, Puchaiyank said:

Wonder how Joe would have handled China?  ????

 

Well, the question should be: wonder how China will handle Joe....

 

(I suppose the Republicans could always allege that Joe is a Chinese "asset" and then try to impeach him.)

Don't like Trump, but I do like how he is going after and against China. But funny how China always says they are being picked on.

7 hours ago, wordchild said:

As a President he has been a disaster. 

He has significantly damaged his country's standing in the world and his moral authority is pretty much zero. He is not taken seriously  by anyone anymore,  excepting his core base. 

This is a tragedy because, on China, he is right!

The world needs a collective response to China across a range of issues, sadly Trump is in no position to lead this.

Astute comment. Trump has earned very little respect as a person and a leader around the world but he does still command attention and he is maybe the ONLY world leader willing and able to stand up to China.  He is also unpredictable, which is feared on the international stage, especially by Chinese leadership. At times it looks like he could just as easily start WW3 or give Xi a big high five. Over the next decade many countries will need to decide where their national interests and economic/political futures reside in this increasingly antagonistic tug-of-war between these two global powerhouses.

More taxes for the US to pay. Keep 'em coming Donald. .

8 hours ago, Kelsall said:

Thank you President Trump!

For what, announcing there will be a new announcement soon?

Big Mouth at its Best, Chinas PM Xi surely cant sleep no more????????????

Edited May 27, 20206 yr by ujayujay

Thank you, Mr. President. Put down that burger and Coke, and tweet something strong to Xi.

Trump has shied away from real issues that he should be looking into at home, but is poking his nose into Hong Kong which is now part of China (goose.).

To me (& this is not confined to the US)  the issue of going the not buy Chinese route  is fine but the costs 

on many items will triple overnight. Are the general public going to accept this or are shop on line 

going to go through the roof ?

I doubt this coward in Chef will actually help them.

Trumps should mind his on buisness and take care of his people back home,not just the jews whom he works for. Your people are hurting Trump. Get the UV light out of your eyes. DO SOMETHING!! 

As if they really care! Hah! All they care about is RE election. At all costs

9 hours ago, wordchild said:

As a President he has been a disaster. 

He has significantly damaged his country's standing in the world and his moral authority is pretty much zero. He is not taken seriously  by anyone anymore,  excepting his core base. 

This is a tragedy because, on China, he is right!

The world needs a collective response to China across a range of issues, sadly Trump is in no position to lead this.

 

Who decides whose good and bad in the world - you?

 

HK is a part of China. Maybe the world needs a collective response to American Foreign Policy? Or perhaps the world needs a response to how African-Americans seem to risk being murdered regularly by various Police Forces?

 

If the current US administration doesn't want to trade with another country, then that's up to them. As long as they don't want to dictate what's right and wrong to others; because quite frankly, they don't always know the difference themselves.

10 hours ago, wordchild said:

As a President he has been a disaster. 

He has significantly damaged his country's standing in the world and his moral authority is pretty much zero. He is not taken seriously  by anyone anymore,  excepting his core base. 

This is a tragedy because, on China, he is right!

The world needs a collective response to China across a range of issues, sadly Trump is in no position to lead this.

Agree with you 100%. Sad part is Trump is the only leader in the world to finally take a ard stand against China, but he has strained the US-European alliance so much, not much of the world may stand beside him now, even if ideological principles are shared.

11 hours ago, Kelsall said:

Thank you President Trump!

Can we expect his usual insulting tweets ...or will he send the 7th fleet ?????

10 hours ago, Puchaiyank said:

Wonder how Joe would have handled China?  ????

Send Hunter to get a payoff appropriate for rolling over and playing dead.

2 hours ago, curlylekan said:

Agree with you 100%. Sad part is Trump is the only leader in the world to finally take a ard stand against China, but he has strained the US-European alliance so much, not much of the world may stand beside him now, even if ideological principles are shared.

Well then if Europe is so butt hurt over Trump making them pay up their fair share for NATO that they don't want to make a stand against predatory communist China, then they are of no use to the free world.

4 minutes ago, Crazy Alex said:

Send Hunter to get a payoff appropriate for rolling over and playing dead.

More empty and irrelevant insults about Hunter Biden. What payoff did Hunter Biden ever get from China? What service did he provide to get it?

Edited May 27, 20206 yr by johnpetersen

3 hours ago, earlinclaifornia said:

I doubt this coward in Chef will actually help them.

I always find it amusing when an anonymous poster on an internet bulletin board speaks of others being a coward. So tell us... in your expert opinion, what do you think Trump should do? And how does your expectation compare with what past presidents have done?