U. S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says he has reported to Congress that Hong Kong is no longer autonomous from China, a move that may have major
U. S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says he has reported to Congress that Hong Kong is no longer autonomous from China, a move that may have major implications for the trade relationship between the U. S. and the former British colony.
“After careful study of developments over the reporting period, I certified to Congress today that Hong Kong does not continue to warrant treatment under United States laws in the same manner as U. S. laws were applied to Hong Kong before July 1997,” Pompeo said in a statement released Wednesday. “No reasonable person can assert today that Hong Kong maintains a high degree of autonomy from China, given facts on the ground.”
The secretary announced his decision at a time of heightened tensions between the U. S. and China. President Trump has blamed Chinese authorities for failing to prevent the coronavirus from becoming a global pandemic, noting that his administration is “not going to take it lightly.
