(Washington) The United States reaffirmed on Wednesday that Hong Kong no longer enjoys the autonomy promised by China and therefore does not deserve any priority in US treatment, urging Beijing to “stop removing democratic institutions.”
“We continue to call for respect for the international obligations and obligations of the People’s Republic of China: to stop democratic institutions, autonomy and the overthrow of the rule of law in Hong Kong; US Secretary of State Anthony Blingen said in a statement.
He promised to pay China “the price of its actions,” while Beijing on Tuesday acknowledged radical reform of the Hong Kong electoral system, which would completely sideline the opposition.
In May, the government of former US President Donald Trump had already declared that by the time London was handed over in 1997, the former British colony did not have the “high autonomy” guaranteed by China. As a result, he canceled it and the preferred trading position is enjoyed by Hong Kong.
The 2019 U.S. Act requires Hong Kong to declare its right to autonomy to the U.S. Congress each year.
“Last year, the People’s Republic of China continued to overthrow Hong Kong’s high autonomy,” especially with the controversial Beijing National Security Act, which “severely undermined the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents,” said Anthony Blingen.
“I have been certified in Congress that Hong Kong is unfit for a different treatment,” he added, confirming that Joe Biden’s government was going to pursue the policies of its predecessors.
He reiterated his condemnation of “arbitrary arrests and accusations of peaceful protesters, activists and demonstrators for political reasons” and “the real ban on public demonstrations.”
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