BREAKING: U.S. Secretary of State Rules that Hong Kong Is No Longer Autonomous From China

Under law, the US deals with Hong Kong separately from China when it comes to travel and trade. It's the Hong Kong Human Rights and Decency Act.

The Department of State shall certify annually to Congress as to whether Hong Kong warrants its unique treatment under various treaties, agreements, and U.S. law. The analysis shall evaluate whether Hong Kong is upholding the rule of law and protecting rights enumerated in various documents, including (1) the agreement between the United Kingdom and China regarding Hong Kong’s return to China, and (2) the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

This law was passed about the time China began it's moves on Hong Kong.

This status change comes after China passed it's new national security act cracking down on Hong Kong. We only have to look at how this type of act has been used in China to see why the US Dept. of State no longer thinks of Hong Kong as an independent entity.

Residents of the semi-autonomous city only need to look across the border at mainland China to get a glimpse of how "national security" -- broadly and vaguely defined -- can be used as a convenient pretext for the political prosecution of dissidents, activists, human rights lawyers and journalists.

We all know that people disappear in China merely for not doing or saying what the party tells them to. I'm sure that Hong Kong will be "just fine" in short order though. Everyone happy!

Secretary Pompeo’s report does not by itself change Hong Kong’s status. It is a strong signal that the United States stands ready to act, short of war, on Hong Kong’s behalf.

Under a series of laws passed before and after the British returned Hong Kong to Chinese rule in 1997, the United States treats Hong Kong differently from the mainland in a number of important ways. One of those involves investment. Hong Kong recognizes basic rule of law; mainland China, in keeping with communism, does not. The vast majority of foreign investment funnels into China by way of Hong Kong because Hong Kong provides a safe and reliable conduit. Beijing’s subjugation of Hong Kong changes everything.

So while we may not end up going to way for Hong Kong, it's possible all the sanction and other trade wrangling aimed at China will also begin to fall on Hong Kong as it is now deemed part of China and not an autonomous entity of its own. Hong Kong feeds massive wealth to the country.

There used to be a saying that "China kills to conquer" Now I would reverse that and say China conquers to kill for that is exactly what they are doing to Hong Kong's liberties.

I hope the USA and others finally figure out the CCP is not their friend and everything possible is done to sever the umbilical cord.

I think we should research CHina's plans for Reunification or a great union as I have heard it called. That this is a plan that I heard from Daniel Estullin that will happen for China. that they will have Hong Kong And Taiwan back in China's possession.

a reply to: ketsuko

Looks like we may see a much more multipolar world in the near future.

Wonder if this signals anything for Taiwan.

So here is how this is going to end.

Because of the Covid the US, Australia and other Western Countries are done with China as far as trade goes; the writing is on the wall. The only thing that has kept China semi docile regarding Taiwan, Hong Kong, the India Border and the South China Sea has been the threat of no more fantastic trade deals with the West.

China knows it's over and they no longer care to play nice. This is going to be a tricky political time but in the end we are going to cold war China and they are going to test the waters.

a reply to: CriticalStinker

I imagine this signals quite a bit for Taiwan, especially the western countries response to this. Our action or inaction may give them an understanding of how we will handle any action against them by the CCP. Hopefully we take strict trade measures and increase our presence in the region. The CCP is going to keep playing with India and threatening others with trade wars, they will rapidly find out they no longer have allies as I imagine Russia will see this as a battle they can't be apart of. Especially considering some of the rhetoric coming out of the CCP against Russia due to the outbreaks on the border. The CCP may have shot themselves in the foot finally.

Coincidence ? ... Free rein for China’s navy as virus halts US ships
China's aircraft carriers on patrol near Taiwan and South China Sea as virus-hit US Navy provides Beijing an opening

It feels like we've been at war with China for some time now, just not the "Call of Duty" type of war we are accustomed to seeing. The ink was barely dry on our new trade deal, they must be hoping for a change in leadership.
Taiwan is another to keep an eye on, this is not a good development.
a reply to: ketsuko

a reply to: ketsuko

Finally getting to the meat and potatoes of all these years of economical sparring.

Question for the big brains here; what happens when millions of Americans are priced out of all those Chinese goods?

Not to mention the White House new approach to China via,

"United States Strategic Approach to the People’s Republic of China"

As demonstrated by the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) response to the pandemic, Americans have more reason than ever to understand the nature of the regime in Beijing and the threats it poses to American economic interests, security, and values. President Trump and the Administration are committed to protecting the American people, homeland, and way of life from the CCP’s malign actions and policies.

As the President’s National Security Strategy says, it is time the United States “rethink the failed policies of the past two decades – policies based on the assumption that engagement with rivals and their inclusion in international institutions and global commerce would turn them into benign actors and trustworthy partners.” The report illustrates how the policies and actions of the Chinese Communist Party have compelled the United States to adopt a competitive strategy, guided by a return to principled realism.

People, this is the real deal.

a reply to: ketsuko

Have we reduced the CCP to a smoldering pile of ashes yet?

They wouldn't get a shot off before bed ng reduced to ash. The to put an end to the red menace once and for all

We need to wake up and realize the real imminent threat the communist poses to freedom and pursue it with the vigor we pursued Hitler.

Wipe out their biggest concentrations of economic and military force, and threaten total and absolute unrestrained nuclear destruction without unconditional surrendor. Watch the CCP fold like a wet napkin, or die...I'm ok with either one.

originally posted by: fringeofthefringe
It feels like we've been at war with China for some time now, just not the "Call of Duty" type of war we are accustomed to seeing. The ink was barely dry on our new trade deal, they must be hoping for a change in leadership.
Taiwan is another to keep an eye on, this is not a good development.
a reply to: ketsuko

Are you kidding? We are, without a doubt, at war with China now.

I figure that war in the 21st century does not look like war in the past. We now have too much power in our arsenal and too many damn fools controlling them. If a traditional shooting war ever breaks out, it may pretty much be the end of civilization as we know it M.A.D. as not only a doctrine of war but a reality of war is here.

I fear Hong Kong may have just been China testing how the America, UN, and allies respond to them taking Taiwan.

Answer: no one did a damn thing.

So, I"m not sure what this means.

Does it simply mean that the US is acknowledging the fact that China is usurping power in Hong Kong and that the territory no longer is capable of acting as sovereign or semi-sovereign entity in practice and that this means a shift in policy and practice but continued support of Hong Kong liberation in some way?

Or does it mean that the US is just giving up on Hong Kong as a separate entity and backing out of the argument, leaving the people of Hong Kong to whatever fate the CCP designs for them?

In my mind, the former would mean that the US acknowledges that China is acting like a big bully on the block and throwing its weight around (something that cannot be denied), but it will not politically or diplomatically operate in that frame of reference.

The latter means that the people of Hong Kong are screwed and the US will be frying its own fish from here on out.

The former seems in principle the moral route.

The later seems more practical and more expedient. After all, it was the UK that sold out Hong Kong back in 1997. Even then, a person had to be a complete idiot to not see this coming. It wasn't like China ever intended to keep it's end of the deal. This, really, is the UK's problem more than the US' problem, but the UK won't do anything about it.

a reply to: Identified

A legit cold-war? Or a knock-off, dollar store derivative cold war like the rest of China's innovations?

a reply to: JinMI

Millions of Americans will get a sudden wake up call about who owns who in this fake economy and what their pathetic wages are really worth in a gilded age of unprecedented investor prosperity.

a reply to: ketsuko

Seems like the OP is interpreting this move incorrectly.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday China had undermined Hong Kong's autonomy so fundamentally that the territory no longer warranted special treatment under US law, a potentially big blow to its status as a major financial hub.

The Financial Review

You get that folks?

The "Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act" approved by the US Congress and Trump last year requires the State Department to certify at least annually that Hong Kong retains enough autonomy to justify the favorable US trading terms that have helped it remain a world financial center.

Under the act, officials responsible for human rights violations in Hong Kong could be subject to sanctions, including visa bans and asset freezes.

Sounds like the Trump administration is heading into the direction of caving. Quite the opposite to the OP.

a reply to: JinMI

Hopefully, is simply means the big business brains in the US see the opportunity is figuring out how to provide it to them.

How many other struggling countries around the world would love the chance to become the new China?

originally posted by: 0zzymand0s
a reply to: Identified

A legit cold-war? Or a knock-off, dollar store derivative cold war like the rest of China's innovations?

A cold war like has never been seen before on the planet. Not a derivative knock-off. But something different. China has developed an entirely novel doctrine of warfare. Nobody knows how to fight back yet. I fear that we are not prepared.

a reply to: Southern Guardian

They don't in the sense that China uses Hong Kong as its trade hub. The rule of law used to apply in Hong Kong making it a stable and attractive place to do business and a lucrative go-between for the US and China, other players and China.

Doing business directly with China means they steal your intellectual property and can change your agreements on a whim.

With China now being Hong Kong in the eyes of the US, there is no special trade status for Hong Kong in all those trade deals. China loses that trade and gateway with its special status and all that lucrative trade potentially. They were making more money from it than from many of their other trade deals because of that special status.