Trump angers Beijing with Hong Kong act
Beijing promises serious countermeasures as law requires US to annually assess region’s autonomy
Donald Trump has signed an act requiring the US State Department to annually certify that Hong Kong retains enough autonomy from China to merit favourable trading terms. The act could lead to human rights violators being sanctioned. The move has riled Beijing by supporting pro-democracy protesters.
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DONALD TRUMP has riled Beijing by signing legislation supporting pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act requires the US State Department to annually certify that Hong Kong retains enough autonomy from mainland China to deserve favourable trading terms, and could lead to human rights violators in the region being sanctioned. The US Senate and House of Representatives approved the bill unanimously last week.
The move was a boost for the millions of protesters who have taken to the streets of Hong Kong since June, and whose demands include democratic elections.
Beijing promised “firm countermeasures”, prompting fears that the current trade war between the US and China will be prolonged.
The US president also signed a second bill banning the sale of munitions such as rubber bullets, stun guns and tear gas to Hong Kong police.
“I signed these bills out of respect for President Xi, China and the people of Hong Kong,” he said in a statement on Wednesday.
“They are being enacted in the hope that leaders and representatives of
China and Hong Kong will be able to amicably settle their differences leading to long-term peace and prosperity for all.”
Mr Trump had previously tried to avoid being drawn into the tussle between Hong Kong’s government and pro-democracy protesters but faced mounting pressure from within his own party to sign the bill.
Marco Rubio, a Republican senator and one of the legislation’s sponsors, said: “The US now has new and meaningful tools to deter further influence
Number of police officers who swept the campus of a Hong Kong university where protesters were holed up
‘The two bills are an obvious intervention of Hong Kong’s affairs’
and interference from Beijing into Hong Kong’s internal affairs.
“This new law could not be more timely in showing strong US support for Hong Kongers’ long-cherished freedoms.”
Yesterday, China’s Foreign Ministry said: “This so-called bill will only make the Chinese people, including our compatriots in Hong Kong, further understand the sinister intentions and hegemonic nature of the United States. It will only make the Chinese people more united and make the American plot doomed to fail.”
On Sunday, the Hong Kong government was dealt a blow when pro-democracy candidates gained control of 17 out of 18 of districts in local council elections.
The Hong Kong government, led by Carrie Lam, the increasingly beleaguered chief executive, said: “These two bills are an obvious intervention of Hong Kong’s internal affairs, they are unnecessary and without grounds, they will also harm the relationship and interests between Hong Kong and the US.”
An estimated 400 police officers swept the campus of Hong Kong’s Polytechnic University yesterday, removing dangerous items following the end of a violent stand-off between officers and demonstrators holed up in the university grounds.
Police said they found petrol bombs and bottled chemicals among the detritus left after the siege on the campus, which was locked down on Nov 17.
Over 1,000 protesters occupied the university, starting fires and throwing handmade bombs, with police responding by firing tear gas and setting up blockades.
The siege had dissipated by the start of this week, with many demonstrators arrested as they left the campus.
The protests in the region began in response to a proposed extradition bill between Hong Kong and China, which critics feared would be abused by Beijing to transfer opponents of the Chinese government to the mainland for punishment. Demonstrations have evolved to also kick back against what many view as an erosion of democratic values by Beijing, and a failure to move the region towards having properly democratic leadership elections.