HONG KONG (AP) – A spokesman for China’s ceremonial legislature condemned statements from US lawmakers supportive of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, as more protests were planned yesterday following a day of dueling rallies that highlighted the political divide in the Chinese territory.
You Wenze called the lawmakers’ comments “a gross violation of the spirit of the rule of law, a blatant double standard, and a gross interference in China’s internal affairs.”
He said that Hong Kong’s 7.5 million people and Chinese population as a whole rejected the actions of a “very small group of violent protesters” as well as “any interference of foreign forces.”
You did not mention any specific lawmaker, but numerous US senators and Congress members, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have affirmed the US commitment to human rights and urged the Hong Kong government to end the standoff.
Congress also has the power to pass legislation affecting Hong Kong’s relationship with the US in ways that could further erode the territory’s reputation for stability and rule of law.
That includes the recent re-introduction of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act in Congress, which would among its other provisions require the Secretary of State to issue an annual certification of Hong Kong’s autonomy to justify special treatment afforded to the city.
More directly, President Donald Trump could simply issue an executive order suspending Hong Kong’s special trading status with the US, a move that could have a devastating effect on the local economy at a time when Beijing and Washington are engaged in a bitter trade war.
