WASHINGTON - The Trump administration is
unlikely to move to revise a 1992 act that gives Hong Kong
special trade and business privileges unless there is a dramatic
escalation by China in response to street protests there, a
senior U.S. official said.
“It’s going to depend on what the Chinese do,” the official
told Reuters, adding that the United States might consider
sanctions if there was a "precipitating event," such as Hong
Kong police being told to stand down and mainland Chinese forces
moving in and using violence against protesters.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity on
Thursday, said any U.S. response could also be influenced by the
status of U.S. trade talks with China that have dominated the
U.S. agenda with Beijing for months.
China appeared concerned about the possibility of the Hong
Kong situation getting out of hand, the official said, adding
that Washington believed Beijing was not interested in seeing it
escalate and was looking for a way out without appearing to back
down.
Opposition to a proposed Hong Kong law to allow extraditions
to China on Sunday triggered the former British colony's biggest
political demonstration since its return to Chinese rule in 1997
under a "one country, two systems" deal.
Tens of thousands demonstrated in the following days. On
Wednesday, protesters surrounded the legislature and swarmed
onto a major highway, before being forced back by riot police
firing volleys of tear gas and rubber bullets.
The "one country, two systems" agreement guarantees Hong
Kong's special autonomy, including freedom of assembly, free
press and independent judiciary and the 1992 U.S. Hong Kong
Policy Act that preceded it affords Hong Kong trade and business
privileges not granted to Beijing.
The U.S. State Department said on Monday it was gravely
concerned about proposed amendments to Hong Kong laws and warned
that such a move could jeopardize the special status Washington
affords the territory.
In Washington on Thursday, senior lawmakers from both
parties introduced legislation to require an annual
justification from the U.S. government for the continuation of
the special treatment.
Cracks appeared on Friday in the support base for the
proposed extradition law and one of the key advisers to Hong
Kong leader Carrie Lam, Executive Council member Bernard Chan,
told Cable TV he did not think formal discussion of the bill, a
precursor to a final vote by the legislature, should continue at
present.
Michael Tien, a member of Hong Kong's legislature and a
deputy to China's national parliament, urged the city government
to put the bill on hold. And 22 former government officials or
Legislative Council members signed a statement calling on Lam to
"yield to public opinion and withdraw the Bill for more thorough
deliberation".'
On Friday, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng summoned
Robert Forden, the U.S. deputy chief of mission in Beijing, due
to recent U.S. comments and actions on Hong Kong and the
extradition law and urged Washington to stop interfering in the
city's affairs immediately, China's Foreign Ministry said.
It said Le urged Washington to take no actions that harm
Hong Kong's prosperity and stability, the ministry said in a
statement.
"We urge the U.S. side to treat the Hong Kong government
objectively and fairly and respect its normal legislative
process," the statement cited Le as saying. "China will watch
the U.S. side's actions and further respond," he added, without
elaborating.