WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration on Thursday granted temporary refuge to people fleeing China’s crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden granted temporary refuge Thursday to people from Hong Kong amid the Chinese government’s effort to crush the pro-democracy movement and tighten its control on a city once known for its freedom. Biden signed a memorandum allowing people from Hong Kong currently residing in the United States to live and work in the country for 18 months, a move likely to further inflame the already tense relations between Washington and Beijing. The decision to provide a temporary safe haven comes in response to Hong Kong’s sweeping new national security law and other measures that undercut the rights promised when the former British colony was handed back to China in 1997. It also comes as China and the United States are at odds over a range of foreign policy and trade issues. “Given the politically motivated arrests and trials, the silencing of the media, and the diminishing space for elections and democratic opposition, we will continue to take steps in support of people in Hong Kong,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said. The Chinese government has sought to stifle opposition following protests in Hong Kong in 2019 against a proposed law allowing extraditions to mainland China. Under the new national security law, which took effect in June, police have arrested at least 100 opposition politicians, activists and demonstrators.
