WASHINGTON — The United Statesnbspaccused China on Thursday of breaking its commitment for democracy in Hong Kong hours after
WASHINGTON — The United States accused China on Thursday of breaking its commitment for democracy in Hong Kong, hours after the city’s legislature passed a law making it a crime to disrespect China’s national anthem.
«Unfortunately, we have seen over the past several weeks, action after action… where China is once again showing the world that they break their promises, that they have empty commitments and they never, never intend to keep their word,» State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus told VOA. «So, we remain very concerned at the State Department.
«We just hope that the world now sees Chairman Xi (Jinping) for who he is and now sees the Chinese Communist Party for who they are,» she said.
Hong Kong’s mostly pro-Beijing legislature overwhelmingly voted to pass the anthem law. It carries a penalty of up to three years in prison and a maximum fine of $6,450 for those who insult the anthem — «March of the Volunteers» — in public or playing and singing it in a distorted or disrespectful way.
