US Senate okays bill to punish China Priyanka dares UP govt to take action
■ Hong Kong police, China officials, banks to face sanctions
Washington, June 26: The US Senate on Thursday unanimously approved a bill that would lay out sanctions on Chinese officials who undermine Hong Kong’s autonomy as Beijing pushes forward with a controversial security law.
The House of Representatives still needs to pass the bill, which would allow sanctions in the United States against Chinese officials and the Hong Kong police as well as banks that conduct “significant transactions” with them.
The vote comes as China presses forward with a security law that would enforce punishment over
◗ The House of Representatives still needs to pass the bill, which would allow sanctions in the United States against Chinese officials and the Hong Kong police
subversion and other perceived threats in Hong Kong, which saw massive protests last year in support of maintaining the financial hub’s freedoms.
“They are moving forward in their process to take away the liberties of the people of Hong Kong. So time is of the essence,” said Senator Chris Van
◗ The vote comes as China presses forward with a security law that would enforce punishment over subversion and other perceived threats in Hong Kong
Hollen, a Democrat who helped lead the charge on the bipartisan bill.
“Passing a Senate resolution as the consequence to their action is hardly going to be taken seriously in Beijing,” he said on the Senate floor.
“And that’s why it’s important to actually do something that shows that the government of China will pay a price if it continues down this path to extinguish those freedoms of the people in Hong Kong.”
President Donald Trump’s administration has already declared that it no longer considers Hong Kong autonomous under US law, at a time when it has a host of troublesome issues with Beijing.
But the US government has so far outlined comparatively symbolic measures as repercussions and has not questioned the overall trading relationship with the city.
Van Hollen said it was not enough.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the Uttar Pradesh government after it sent notices to her on her comments. Ms Gandhi had, on a Facebook post on Sunday, quoted a media report which alleged that two girls were found pregnant at a government-run child shelter home in Kanpur. “They can take whatever action they want. I will keep putting forth the truth. I am Indira Gandhi’s granddaughter, not an undeclared BJP spokesperson like some of the Opposition leaders,”
Ms Gandhi said in a tweet, making a veiled attack on BSP chief, Kumari Mayawati. “The UP government is wasting its time by threatening me through its various departments. They can take whatever action they want,” she added.
The attack came a day after the Uttar Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights issued a notice to Ms Gandhi, asking her to file a reply within three days for her “misleading” comment on the Kanpur shelter home.