Pompeo says Hong Kong no longer warrants special U.S. treatment

[webfact]

Pompeo says Hong Kong no longer warrants special U.S. treatment

By David Brunnstrom, Humeyra Pamuk and Sarah Wu

 

A riot police officer fires his weapon during a protest in Central, as a second reading of a controversial national anthem law takes place in Hong Kong, China May 27, 2020. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

 

WASHINGTON/HONG KONG (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday China had undermined Hong Kong's autonomy so fundamentally that the territory no longer warranted special treatment under U.S. law, a potentially big blow to its status as a major financial hub.

 

Pompeo's certification to the U.S. Congress follows China's announcement of a plan to impose new national security legislation on Hong Kong, which has triggered fresh unrest in the territory, with police firing tear gas and water cannon.

 

It now falls to President Donald Trump to decide to end some, all, or none of the U.S. economic privileges which the territory enjoys.

 

Pompeo made no recommendations in his statement. But people familiar with the matter said the Trump administration was considering suspending Hong Kong's preferential tariff rates for exports to the United States as part of its response to China's plan.

 

Trump could also opt for targeted sanctions against Chinese officials, government entities and businesses involved in enforcing the new legislation, according one of the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

 

Trump, already at odds with Beijing over trade and China's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, had said on Tuesday Washington was working on a strong response that would be announced before the end of the week.

 

He offered a muted response to democracy protests in Hong Kong last year while prioritizing a trade deal with China he saw as important for his November re-election bid. But ties with Beijing have since soured considerably and bipartisan pressure has mounted for decisive action.

 

Pompeo said China's plan to impose the new legislation was "only the latest in a series of actions that fundamentally undermine Hong Kong’s autonomy and freedoms.

 

"No reasonable person can assert today that Hong Kong maintains a high degree of autonomy from China, given facts on the ground," he said.

 

He said he certified that Hong Kong no longer warrants treatment under U.S. laws "in the same manner as U.S. laws were applied to Hong Kong before July 1997", when Britain ended its administration of the territory and returned it to China.

 

"It is now clear that China is modeling Hong Kong after itself," Pompeo said.

 

The "Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act" approved by the U.S. Congress and Trump last year requires the State Department to certify at least annually that Hong Kong retains enough autonomy to justify the favorable U.S. trading terms that have helped it remain a world financial center.

 

Under the act, officials responsible for human rights violations in Hong Kong could be subject to sanctions, including visa bans and asset freezes.

China's security proposal, unveiled last week, triggered the first large street protests in Hong Kong for months.

 

The United States, European Union, Britain and others have expressed concern about the legislation, widely seen as a possible turning point for China's freest city.

 

Pompeo discussed the legislation with British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Wednesday and "both agreed the international community must support the people of Hong Kong and respond to Beijing’s continued erosions of Hong Kong’s autonomy," a State Department statement said.

 

Specifics of the security bill remain unclear and will not be enacted until later. It is meant to tackle secession, subversion and terrorism after major unrest last year and could see Chinese intelligence agencies set up bases in Hong Kong.

 

MORE PROTESTS AND ARRESTS

Chinese authorities and Hong Kong's Beijing-backed government say there is no threat to the city's high degree of autonomy and the new security law will be tightly focused.

 

Beijing has said it will take necessary countermeasures to any foreign interference.

 

"It's for the long-term stability of Hong Kong and China, it won’t affect the freedom of assembly and speech and it won’t affect the city's status as a financial centre," Hong Kong Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung told reporters.

 

Hong Kong police fired pepper pellets and made 360 arrests on Wednesday as thousands of people protested against the bill.

 

Late into the evening, protesters were still cramming sidewalks, chanting for full democracy and for Hong Kong to seek independence from China, saying this is now "the only way out".

 

A heavy police presence around the Legislative Council had earlier deterred protesters from disrupting a debate of a bill that would criminalise disrespect of the Chinese national anthem. That is expected to become law next month.

 

(Reporting by David Brunnstrom, Humeyra Pamuk, Matt Spetalnick, Sarah Wu, Scott Murdoch, Jessie Pang, Clare Jim, Pak Yiu, Joyce Zhou, Twinnie Siu, Donny Kwok and James Pomfret; Writing by David Brunnstrom, Anne Marie Roantree, Michael Perry and Robert Birsel, Marius Zaharia; Editing by Lincoln Feast, Stephen Coates, Mark Heinrich and Sonya Hepinstall)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-05-28

 

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[Tug]

Wow that dident take long for trump to surrender on that one we could have stood up for Hong Kong’s independence what imo a vacum this administration has created 

[Canuckabroad]

It’s a real shame, I love visiting (and shopping!) in HK. Mainland control freaks just couldn’t leave it alone.

[RadicalVestor]

Darn, now the price of Dim Sum is going up.

[Mama Noodle]

Its shocking just how hard China is going and using the virus as cover while doing it. 

Border dispute with India. Hong Kong jackbooting. Raising tariffs on Australia for simply speaking out against them. Etc.

Yet every time China is brought up on here, nobody cares about any of this and defends China all day long. 

[andre47]

1 hour ago, Tug said:

Wow that dident take long for trump to surrender on that one we could have stood up for Hong Kong’s independence what imo a vacum this administration has created 

Hong Kong should be independent?

Hong Kong is a part of China. Do you really think that China will accept an independence? Dreamer.... You can fight for Taiwan. Taiwan should be independent, but Hong Hong will remain a part of China.

China is the coming world power and Trump is a sick president. 

[Mama Noodle]

2 minutes ago, andre47 said:

China is the coming world power and Trump is a sick president. 

 

Yeah, Trump is such a baddie so lets just cozy up to communists... 

[stevenl]

How does HK losing its special status hurt bejing? Aren't the main people hurt the ones living in Hong Kong?

[Mama Noodle]

Just now, stevenl said:

How does HK losing its special status hurt bejing? Aren't the main people hurt the ones living in Hong Kong?

 

Bejing used hong kong as a proxy for circumventing tariffs and trade, now that China wants to put their boots on Hong Kongs throat, there is no reason to allow any of this, and no reason for Hong Kong to get any special status as they are clearly just going to take control. 

[GinBoy2]

3 minutes ago, stevenl said:

How does HK losing its special status hurt bejing? Aren't the main people hurt the ones living in Hong Kong?

Hmm thats the dilemma isn't it.

 

Under Xi the basic law isn't going to last the 50 years, you only have to look at Xinjiang to see what the future is for the territory under Xi. Total assimilation.

 

Removal of HK's special trading status with the US will I fear hurt Hong Konger's much more than the regime in Beijing, and probably simply accelerate the total incorporation into the mainland, but the destination is the same, just the date might change!

 

The only upside I can see for all of this, is that it's opened the eyes of many Taiwanese who when I lived there at least, really believed that the 'one country, two systems' was actually a potential future for the island.

 

That dream is well and truly shattered 

[andre47]

11 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

Yeah, Trump is such a baddie so lets just cozy up to communists... 

I am really not sure what is better....America and China are both not sympathetic but at the moment I prefer China.

[Mama Noodle]

Just now, andre47 said:

I am really not sure what is better....America and China are both not sympathetic but at the moment I prefer China.

 

At least you're open about your desire to cosy up to communism. Not like you'll get a do-over later when in a few years there's a new administration in the USA. Thats not how communism works. There are no do-overs. 

[stevenl]

12 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

Bejing used hong kong as a proxy for circumventing tariffs and trade, now that China wants to put their boots on Hong Kongs throat, there is no reason to allow any of this, and no reason for Hong Kong to get any special status as they are clearly just going to take control. 

General feel here seems to be more that it will hurt the Hong kongers than anything else, https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/27/politics/hong-kong-pompeo-certification/index.html

[stevenl]

18 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

Yeah, Trump is such a baddie so lets just cozy up to communists... 

Again that nonsense.

[Brunolem]

33 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

At least you're open about your desire to cosy up to communism. Not like you'll get a do-over later when in a few years there's a new administration in the USA. Thats not how communism works. There are no do-overs. 

The choice between communism and imperialism is a tough one, like having to chose between the plague and cholera.

 

While China is mostly bringing misery within its borders, the US is doing it worldwide and even its "allies" are starting to question their allegiance.

 

Regular international surveys, conducted by Pew Research (American) and others, show that the US is perceived as the biggest threat to world peace, by a very large majority...just sayin'...

 

Edited May 28, 2020 by Brunolem

[Mama Noodle]

3 minutes ago, Brunolem said:

The choice between communism and imperialism is a tough one

 

Only if you have room temperature IQ and never read a history book. Communism has killed more people globally throughout history than any other ideology. 

Dont forget that Chinese Communism is also imperialistic, so you've got both all wrapped into one. 

[Brunolem]

5 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

Dont forget that Chinese Communism is also imperialistic, so you've got both all wrapped into one. 

We don't see hundreds of Chinese army bases in over a hundred countries. 

 

And when it comes to numbers, please remind us how many people China has killed outside its border since the beginning of this century, and how many countries the American "force of good" has completely destroyed? 

[GinBoy2]

51 minutes ago, andre47 said:

I am really not sure what is better....America and China are both not sympathetic but at the moment I prefer China.

Hmm, last time I looked the US hasn't imprisoned 1.5 million of it's own citizens (Uighers) in re-education camps.

 

You may dislike the current incumbent of the White House, but try not to equate that with a totalitarian regime, locks up its political opponents and most certainly restricts free speech.

 

It's thats what you prefer to the US system, I suggest you move to Xinjiang and see how that works out for you

[Mama Noodle]

6 minutes ago, Brunolem said:

We don't see hundreds of Chinese army bases in over a hundred countries. 

 

Thats because they are not invited, unlike the USA which are invited and welcomed in most of those counties. But you cozy up to the Commies some more and you'll see Chinese bases in alot more countries, and they won't be invited. 

 

7 minutes ago, Brunolem said:

And when it comes to numbers, please remind us how many people China has killed outside its border since the beginning of this century, and how many countries the American "force of good" has completely destroyed? 

 

40 years ago the Chinese were a starved nation with zero power, who fought proxy wars in southeast asia trying to bring more communism and death where they went. Now they have more power and are openly doing it right in peoples faces, and it will only get worse. 

[stevenl]

3 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

Hmm, last time I looked the US hasn't imprisoned 1.5 million of it's own citizens (Uighers) in re-education camps.

 

You may dislike the current incumbent of the White House, but try not to equate that with a totalitarian regime, locks up its political opponents and most certainly restricts free speech.

 

It's thats what you prefer to the US system, I suggest you move to Xinjiang and see how that works out for you

Don't let yourself get distracted by the trolling of one member.

[GinBoy2]

3 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Don't let yourself get distracted by the trolling of one member.

Sometimes I can't help myself lol

[stevenl]

2 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

Sometimes I can't help myself lol

Same here ????

[andre47]

9 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

Hmm, last time I looked the US hasn't imprisoned 1.5 million of it's own citizens (Uighers) in re-education camps.

 

You may dislike the current incumbent of the White House, but try not to equate that with a totalitarian regime, locks up its political opponents and most certainly restricts free speech.

 

It's thats what you prefer to the US system, I suggest you move to Xinjiang and see how that works out for you

It is not just the current president...look at all your movie stars who were talking about weapons of mass destruction and brought war and death over many countries. The USA is the reason for many problems on this earth.

[GinBoy2]

2 minutes ago, andre47 said:

It is not just the current president...look at all your movie stars who were talking about weapons of mass destruction and brought war and death over many countries. The USA is the reason for many problems on this earth.

So just move to China since you love their benevolent system so much.

 

Heaven on earth!

[Eric Loh]

1 hour ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

Bejing used hong kong as a proxy for circumventing tariffs and trade, now that China wants to put their boots on Hong Kongs throat, there is no reason to allow any of this, and no reason for Hong Kong to get any special status as they are clearly just going to take control. 

So just how much does China depend on Hong Kong for trade. You really has no clue. Hong Kong is only 3% of China GDP. Taking away the special status means nothing to China but will mean a lot to Hong Kong. Once again the Trump's China hawks are using the wrong part of their anatomy for thinking. 

[Eric Loh]

2 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

So just move to China since you love their benevolent system so much.

 

Heaven on earth!

Childish reply

[stevenl]

2 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

So just how much does China depend on Hong Kong for trade. You really has no clue. Hong Kong is only 3% of China GDP. Taking away the special status means nothing to China but will mean a lot to Hong Kong. Once again the Trump's China hawks are using the wrong part of their anatomy for thinking. 

That's the impression I get as well from doing some quick research on this. I do think that in the long run it will hurt China, but it will hurt US as well.

[Brunolem]

22 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

40 years ago the Chinese were a starved nation with zero power, who fought proxy wars in southeast asia trying to bring more communism and death where they went. Now they have more power and are openly doing it right in peoples faces, and it will only get worse. 

I was not talking about 40 years ago, or about what might happen in the future, but about what has actually happened during the first 20 years of this century. 

[GinBoy2]

1 minute ago, stevenl said:

That's the impression I get as well from doing some quick research on this. I do think that in the long run it will hurt China, but it will hurt US as well.

This is somewhat complicated.

 

After the handover a lot of the manufacturing industry, which had been a major part of the HK economy moved over the border to Guangdong, which then left HK as a primarily service economy which of course the financial services being the primary part. 

 

Now I have a friend who works for HSBC in HK and we were talking about this last week. They have for the last few years been quietly moving sections of their business to Singapore because they see the future

[varun]

HongKongers are not going to go down without a fight.

Unfortunately, it is a lose-lose scenario for them at the end of the day - pity.

 

The only chance they have is international and/or diplomatic pressure from rest-of-the-world:

the commies have managed to pick fights with just about everyone - US, Canada, Australia, EU and recently, India as well.

 

I see more sanctions and more tariffs, especially with US elections around the corner.