Lingering China- US tensions mean HK must prepare: Lam

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Hong Kong Special Administrative Region ( HKSAR) Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuetngor on Monday defended the national security law for the city as a stabilizing force that creates a stable and safe environment for businesses, while harshly criticizing the US sanctions imposed by Donald Trump’s administration against entities and individuals on the Chinese mainland and in the city.

Lam’s remarks at a forum in Hong Kong came as the new US administration of President Joe Biden has kept largely silent on its approach toward the China- US relationship, which hit rock bottom under Trump. But senior HKSAR officials expect that the relationship will face great uncertainty, and the city must be prepared by further integrating into the mainland economy.

“These efforts provide a solid foundation for Hong Kong to maintain long- term prosperity and stability and promote economic development,” Lam said in a video address, referring to steps taken by the National People’s Congress to set up legal and enforcement mechanisms to safeguard national security in the HKSAR.

Lam said that the US’ unilateral sanctions on central and HKSAR government officials were “unreasonable” and in clear violation of international rules and norms, and they have plunged the China- US relationship into “unprecedented” hardship and added uncertainty to the global economic recovery from the COVID- 19.

“Many economies around the world have certain expectations for the new US government and everyone is closely monitoring whether the new government will change US diplomacy, especially its policy toward China,” Lam said.

About two weeks into his presidency, Biden has not announced specific plans for his policy toward China, other than saying that the US would take an “approach of patience.” The new US government also has not made clear what it plans to do with Trump’s sanctions against the HKSAR, including ending the city’s separate customs status.

While Biden’s approach toward China remains to be seen, “it can be expected that for some time to come, the relationship between China and the US will still be full of differences that are not easy to resolve, complicated and changeable,” HKSAR Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo- po said at the same forum on Monday.

Chan said that Hong Kong must be fully prepared and formulate contingency plans to deal with potential sanctions that might be imposed by the US government.