The Chinese Communist Party has made clear that Hong Kong will never again enjoy the high degree of autonomy that Beijing itself promised to the Hong Kong people and the United Kingdom for 50 years. President Trump has made clear that the United States will therefore treat Hong Kong as “one country, one system,” and take action against individuals who have crushed the Hong Kong people’s freedoms.
Today, the United States designates 11 individuals pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13936. These individuals include Carrie Lam, Teresa Cheng, Erick Tsang, Zheng Yanxiong, Eric Chan, John Lee Ka-chiu, and Chris Tang, for their roles in coercing, arresting, detaining, or imprisoning individuals under the authority of, or having been responsible for or involved in developing, adopting, or implementing, the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong. This law, purportedly enacted to “safeguard” the security of Hong Kong, is in fact a tool of CCP repression.
This action includes designations of Xia Baolong, Zhang Xiaoming, and Luo Huining for being leaders or officials of an entity engaged in actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, or autonomy of Hong Kong. Stephen Lo was also designated for being a foreign person who is or has been a leader or official of an entity, including any government entity, that has engaged in, or whose members have engaged in censorship or other activities with respect to Hong Kong that prohibit, limit, or penalize the exercise of freedom of expression or assembly by citizens of Hong Kong, or that limit access to free and independent print, online or broadcast media.
Today’s actions send a clear message that the Hong Kong authorities’ actions are unacceptable and in contravention of the PRC’s commitments under “one country, two systems” and the Sino-British Joint Declaration, a UN-registered treaty.
The United States stands with the Hong Kong people. For more information, please see the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s press release.
