Pompeo says Hong Kong no longer warrants pre-1997 treatment

World
0 39

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he had certified on Wednesday that Hong Kong no longer warrants special treatment under U.S. law in the same way as when it was under British rule, a potentially big blow to its status as a major financial hub.

Pompeo’s certification to the U.S. Congress follows China’s announcement of a plan to impose new national security legislation on Hong Kong which has triggered new street protests in the territory, with police firing tear gas and water cannon.

In a statement, Pompeo said China’s plan to impose the new legislation was “only the latest in a series of actions that fundamentally undermine Hong Kong’s autonomy and freedoms.”

“It is now clear that China is modeling Hong Kong after itself,” Pompeo said.

The “Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act” approved by the U.S. Congress and Trump last year requires the State Department to certify at least annually that Hong Kong retains enough autonomy to justify the favorable U.S. trading terms that have helped it remain a world financial center.