Donald Trump directed to end Hong Kong’s special status with the U.S. and signed legislation that would sanction Chinese officials responsible for cracking down on political dissent in the city.
“No special privileges, no special economic treatment and no export of sensitive technologies,” said the president, who first announced in May that his administration would begin paring back the territory’s special status of Hong Kong.
“The US attempt to obstruct the implementation of the national security law for Hong Kong will never succeed,” the statement said. China responded.
“Hong Kong affairs are purely China’s internal affairs and no foreign country has the right to interfere,” the ministry said China’s Foreign Minister.
During news conference held in the White House Rose Garden, Trump also said “Their freedom has been taken away; their rights have been taken away. And with it goes Hong Kong, in my opinion, because it will no longer be able to compete with free markets. A lot of people will be leaving Hong Kong,”
The law had been passed with bipartisan support in Congress earlier this month.
The White House later released the full text of the executive order, outlining the penalties and suspensions, as well as newly reallocated admissions within the US refugee ceiling “to residents of Hong Kong based on humanitarian concerns”.
