Hong Kong and Chinese officials have resorted to strong-worded rhetoric against the Trump administration in response to the president’s decisions on Friday to curtail ties with the former British colony.
Trump’s decisions came after Beijing adopted a national security law for Hong Kong on Thursday, that would grant China’s security apparatus legal status in the city. Among the measures announced by Trump were revoking Hong Kong’s special trade status with the United States and imposing sanctions on Hong Kong and Chinese officials responsible for “directly or indirectly involved in eroding Hong Kong’s autonomy.”
The Hong Kong government, in a statement released on Saturday night, said that Trump and his administration “continue to smear and demonize” Beijing’s rights to “safeguard national security” in the city.
The Chinese Communist Party is crushing what made Hong Kong different from the rest of China. As a result, the President no longer believes it’s justified to treat Hong Kong the same as before. The U.S. will defend itself from the tyranny of the CCP. pic.twitter.com/OJNoDoPvRJ
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) May 30, 2020
The statement also accused Trump of ignoring “the facts on the grounds” when the president said on Friday that “China has replaced its promised formula of ‘one country, two systems’ with one country, one system.’”
Before Trump’s Friday remark on Hong Kong’s political model, that was inked in the Sino-British Joint Declaration and implemented in 1997 during the city’s handover from Britain to China, pro-democracy lawmakers representing the Hong Kong people also expressed that the model, which granted the city freedoms not enjoyed in the mainland, was coming to an end.
Hong Kong Government and Beijing Respond
The Hong Kong government has defended Beijing’s decision to implement the security law, casting aside impacts that could arise from the U.S. sanctions.
“We are not unduly worried by such [U.S.] threats,” the Hong Kong government said, given its trade with the United States accounted for a small percentage of its total trades.
Two Hong Kong officials, Justice Secretary Teresa Cheng and Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang, have shrugged off the possibility of being named in the U.S. sanctions, while speaking to local media.
China’s state-run newspaper People’s Daily accused the United States in a May 31 editorial of “stigmatizing and demonizing” the “legitimacy” of China’s national security law on Hong Kong.
In a commentary published on the same day, it claimed that the United States was playing with “hegemonism” in a “shameless way” with its proposed sanctions.
A day earlier, China’s hawkish state-run media Global Times slammed Trump for “bullying and gross interference in China’s domestic affairs,” adding that China would respond with “firm countermeasures.”
Hong Kong Opposition and U.S. Supporters Back Move
Trump’s announcement on Friday was welcomed by Republican U.S. lawmakers and pro-democracy lawmakers and activists in Hong Kong.
“The Chinese Communist Party’s aggression in Hong Kong has taken away their autonomy and has violated the terms of the Sino-British treaty. We will always stand with the freedom-loving people of Hong Kong and for our shared democratic values,” said Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), GOP leader of the Foreign Affairs Committee, in a press release.
He added: “The Chinese Communist Party officials responsible for these human rights abuses must be held accountable.”
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) applauded Trump’s decision to “pressure Beijing to honor its commitment to Hong Kongers and their freedoms” in a press release.
“As Beijing once again undermines democracy, we cannot let them profit from violating the Joint Declaration and trying to crush the spirit of Hong Kong’s people,” Rubio said.
For years, the Chinese government and CCP has worked to undermine #HongKong’s autonomy. @POTUS is doing what is necessary to protect Americans and Hong Kongers. We cannot let #Beijing profit from breaking int’l agreements. #StandWithHongKong
Read more ????https://t.co/V9g89aKCpn
— Senator Rubio Press (@SenRubioPress) May 29, 2020
From The Epoch Times
