Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday announced new restrictions against members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), declaring that the United States has banned visas for CCP members affiliated with the obstruction of Hong Kong’s autonomy.
“President Trump promised to punish Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials responsible for eviscerating Hong Kong’s freedoms,” Pompeo said in a statement on Friday.
The latest announcement comes as China plans to move forward with a security law that would expand Beijing’s reach in the semi-autonomous region.
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The Standing Committee of the Chinese National Congress has already approved the draft version of the legislation that would penalize succession, subversion of state power, local terrorist activities, and collaboration with foreign or foreign forces to jeopardize national security.
China has also made plans to set up a security office in Hong Kong that would analyze security situations in the region and safeguard China’s national security interests.
Pompeo said China has undermined Hong Kong’s autonomy by “announcing Beijing’s authority to” supervise “Hong Kong’s governance.”
Pompeo also said that China would have accused “at least one member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council of misconduct” and had moved to “unilaterally and arbitrarily impose national security legislation on Hong Kong.”
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Hong Kong enjoys semi-autonomous control in the region due to the Sino-British Joint Declaration, which established sovereignty after the British liberated Hong Kong from imperial rule and handed it over to China in 1997.
“Beijing continues to undermine human rights and fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong by pressuring local authorities to detain pro-democracy activists and disqualify pro-democracy electoral candidates,” Pompeo said in his statement on Friday. .
The United States, along with several other nations, including the United Kingdom, has repeatedly condemned China’s attempt to exercise security powers in Hong Kong, sparking the latest move by the United States to block visas for current officials. and former CCP affiliates to undermine Hong Kong’s autonomy.
US senators on Thursday passed legislation imposing sanctions on individuals or companies that endorse the efforts or benefit from China’s efforts to exercise security in Hong Kong.
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Pompeo also announced a new partnership with the European Union to open dialogue between the United States and the EU on China, according to a Politico report on Thursday.
“The United States calls on China to honor its commitments and obligations in the Sino-British Joint Declaration, namely that Hong Kong ‘will enjoy a high degree of autonomy’ and that human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly, will be protected by law and respected by government authorities in Hong Kong, “Pompeo concluded on Friday.
