The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that could close Hong Kong’s representative offices in America, prompting strong reactions from both Hong Kong and Beijing.
The bill, part of a series of China-related legislative proposals, still needs to go through the Senate and be signed by the U.S. president to become law. If approved, it is likely to escalate tensions between the U.S. and China, two major global powers with conflicting views on several issues, including Hong Kong.
Hong Kong’s Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development criticized the bill, calling it a political attack that misrepresented the city’s situation. The Hong Kong government and China’s Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong also strongly condemned the bill’s passage.
China warned of countermeasures if the bill leads to the closure of Hong Kong’s representative offices in the U.S., stating that it would harm China-U.S. relations and American interests.
The bipartisan bill received overwhelming support in the U.S. House and proposes to revoke certain privileges extended to Hong Kong’s economic and trade offices in the U.S. if the city’s autonomy is compromised. The bill is seen as a show of solidarity with Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement.
Since the enactment of the 2020 security law in Hong Kong, which led to the arrest of prominent activists, tensions between the U.S. and China have escalated. The U.S. has imposed sanctions on Hong Kong officials, while Beijing defends the law as necessary for restoring stability.
Activists, like Anna Kwok of the Hong Kong Democracy Council, see the bill as a crucial step in holding Hong Kong authorities accountable for human rights abuses. The bill also comes in the wake of scrutiny on Hong Kong’s overseas trade offices, following arrests in its London branch for alleged involvement with Hong Kong intelligence.