US lawmakers reintroduce bill that may close 3 Hong Kong trade offices in US
Bill would amend State Department’s annual review to require president to explain why HKETOs should retain or lose diplomatic privileges
US lawmakers reintroduced a bill on Tuesday that could close Hong Kong’s representative offices in America if the White House determines that Beijing has undermined the city’s autonomy, an effort that failed in the previous congressional session.
The bill would amend the US State Department’s annual review of Hong Kong’s semi-autonomous status to require the US president to explain to Congress why the three Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices (HKETOs) in the country should retain or lose diplomatic privileges.
It seeks to block efforts to “knowingly assist in the promotion of Hong Kong as a free and autonomous city or [the Hong Kong government] as committed to protecting the human rights of people of Hong Kong or fully maintaining the rule of law required for human rights and economic prosperity” if the State Department determines that the city has lost its autonomy.
The revival of the bill by Representatives Chris Smith, a New Jersey Republican, and James McGovern, a Massachusetts Democrat, is the latest in a series of US government efforts targeting Hong Kong that stretch back to US President Donald Trump’s first term in the White House.
“At one time, the HKETOs represented a city whose prosperity was based on its protection of the fundamental human rights and freedom of the Hong Kong people – but the Hong Kong all of us knew and respected is gone,” said Smith.
“HKETOs are pushing out Chinese Communist Party propaganda and spying on Hong Kongers living in the United States – this must stop.”