China’s Foreign Ministry was furious, saying the bill “seriously interfered with Hong Kong affairs, seriously interfered with China’s internal affairs, and seriously violated international law and basic norms of international relations.” The ministry warned the United States against acting arbitrarily and said that any consequences would “be borne by the United States.”
Mr. Trump announced last month .. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/11/business/economy/us-china-trade-deal.html?module=inline .. that the United States and China had reached a “historic” Phase 1 trade agreement, but signing a deal has proved elusive. Mr. Trump has continued to be coy about whether he will agree to remove any of the tariffs he has placed on $360 billion worth of Chinese goods. The United States has to decide by Dec. 15 .. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/20/business/trump-apple-tariffs.html .. whether to impose another round of tariffs on even more Chinese imports, including consumer goods like smartphones and laptops.
This week marks five months since millions of Hong Kong citizens first took to the streets to demand the basic rights promised to them by Beijing. These are the largest pro-democracy protests in a generation. But the U.S. Senate won’t pass a bill showing support for these brave souls, who are risking their lives in defense of the basic freedoms we promised to help them preserve.
The blame for Congress’s inaction lies with two men — President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) — who have both helped to thwart progress of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act .. https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/3289 , a bill that would bolster reporting on Beijing’s crackdown in Hong Kong and provide for sanctions against those responsible. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the bill unanimously in September. The House of Representatives passed its version of the bill by voice vote last month.
Now, as Hong Kong protesters cry out for international support .. https://tinyurl.com/s7576xy , specifically asking for Congress to pass this bill .. https://twitter.com/joshuawongcf , there’s no signal it will reach the Senate floor any time soon. It’s not as though the Senate is busy doing other things. So why hasn’t McConnell acted? His office won’t comment.
“We need to send a clear message to President [Xi Jinping] that the United States stands shoulder to shoulder with the people of Hong Kong as they exercise their democratic rights,” Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) told me. “For those who claim to support the people of Hong Kong, they should join us in our calls for the Senate to act on the Human Rights and Democracy Act.”
Trump’s indifference to the plight of Hong Kongers has long been clear. In August, he referred to the protests as “riots .. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PEcNUf-ZEU[Insert embed],”
But McConnell professes to be on the side of the protesters. In August, he penned an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal entitled “We stand with Hong Kong” and promised to support the bill. McConnell was part of the effort when the original legislation supporting Hong Kong autonomy was passed in 1992.
“It is crucial to recognize that the dynamics that led to this crisis didn’t begin in Hong Kong and won’t end there,” McConnell wrote. “The turmoil is the result of Beijing’s systematic ratcheting up of its domestic oppression and its pursuit of hegemony abroad.”
He was right, but now he is silent. Senate aides told me that McConnell is running out the clock by pointing to technical concerns that individual senators have raised about the legislation. The bill’s main sponsor, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), tweeted Thursday he soon intends to call for a floor vote, to force all senators to show their cards.
U.S. businesses in Hong Kong have a legitimate concern; if the United States were to revoke Hong Kong’s special economic status, U.S. firms’ bottom lines could suffer. But the bill doesn’t go that far. It requires administration reporting on whether Hong Kong still warrants that status and authorizes targeted sanctions against those in Beijing and Hong Kong who are responsible for the worst abuses.
Of course, the Chinese government is threatening to punish U.S. businesses and scuttle the trade deal if the United States doesn’t shut up about its human rights abuses. That’s par for the course. Trump is again falling for Beijing’s ploy to link the two issues. But that linkage only serves to weaken our position on both.
“The United States needs to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time. We can stand with the people of Hong Kong and stand up for our trade and economic interests,” Sen. Robert Menendez (N.J.), the ranking Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, told me. “I’m deeply concerned that the Trump administration once again appears to be willing to sell out the people of Hong Kong and their legitimate democratic aspirations.”
Trump believes he needs a trade deal with China, even a bad one, for his reelection campaign. What’s McConnell’s excuse? He could bring the bill to the floor today, and it would pass with overwhelming bipartisan support. As McConnell himself explained, it’s not just about Hong Kong. This is about the United States’ role in confronting Chinese Communist Party repression and aggression.
Insert: To Trump ALL HIS ACTIONS are about reelection.
The people of Hong Kong will fight for their rights, with or without U.S. support. But if we abandon them now, we sacrifice real moral and strategic leverage vis-a-vis Beijing — for soybean sales. Trump doesn’t seem to care, so Congress must act.
Hong Kong march: Thousands join largest pro-democracy rally in months
"Hong Kong's democrats sweep local elections in snub to Beijing-backed establishment"
7 hours ago
VIDEO - Hong Kong pro-democracy rally: 'The streets are full once again'
Tens of thousands of protesters have marched through the streets of Hong Kong in the largest anti-government rally in months.
For the first time since August, police allowed a rally by the Civil Human Rights Front, a pro-democracy group.
Organisers said an estimated 800,000 took part while police put the number at 183,000.
Police said 11 people were arrested in raids ahead of the rally and that a handgun was seized.
The protests started in June over a controversial extradition bill, and have now evolved into broader anti-government demonstrations.
"I will fight for freedom until I die," said June, a 40-year-old mother in Victoria Park, where protesters gathered.
[...]
Monday will mark six months since a mass rally on 9 June that triggered the political crisis that has gripped the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.
Reuters Organisers said an estimated 800,000 people took part in the anti-government protest
Organisers of the rally, the Civil Human Rights Front, said this is the government's last chance to meet their demands, which include an independent inquiry into the police's handling of the protests, an amnesty for those arrested, and free elections.
Clashes have become increasingly violent in recent months, raising the question of how the unrest can be stopped.
Around 6,000 people have been arrested and hundreds injured, including police, since June.
[...]
The attacks on the courts were widely condemned by march organisers, police and the government, which it said "undermined Hong Kong's reputation as a city governed by the rule of law".
Earlier, police said a Glock semi-automatic pistol and 105 bullets were discovered during raids along with a haul of knives and firecrackers. It was said to be the first time that a handgun was found since the protests began.
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