A bipartisan agreement was reached to target those who curb Hong Kong’s independence.
The Senate on Thursday passed a sweeping sanctions bill targeting China’s violations of Hong Kong’s independence, a week after the White House helped stall the legislation.
The bill, which imposes mandatory sanctions on individuals, entities and banks that enable China’s encroachments through a new national-security law, was adopted unanimously after Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) secured an agreement with the White House. The senators also allowed for their measure to pass alongside Sen. Josh Hawley’s (R-Mo.) resolution that condemns Beijing’s national-security law that cracks down on Hong Kong’s sovereignty.
Last week, Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N. D.) blocked the sanctions legislation at the behest of the Trump administration, even though he co-sponsored the bill. At the time, the White House had proposed what senators described as last-minute “technical” changes.
