U.S. Lawmakers Begin Push to Support Hong Kong Demonstrators

(Bloomberg) -- Members of the U.S. Congress reintroduced a measure defending Hong Kong’s autonomy, in a bipartisan response to this week’s protests against the city’s move to allow criminal suspects to be extradited to mainland China.

The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act is co-sponsored by U.S. senators and House members of both parties, and has the support of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

The bipartisan bill would require the U.S. State Department to certify Hong Kong’s autonomy every year to affirm that the city merits special treatment under the U.S. Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992. Among other provisions, the measure threatens to freeze U.S. assets of individuals involved in forcibly removing people from Hong Kong. Such individuals also could be denied travel visas.

“As over 1 million Hong Kongers take to the streets protesting amendments to the territory’s extradition law, the U.S. must send a strong message that we stand with those peacefully advocating for freedom and the rule of law and against Beijing’s growing interference in Hong Kong affairs,” Marco Rubio, a Republican senator from Florida and one of the bill’s co-sponsors, said in a statement.

The bill is also sponsored by Republican Jim Risch, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who said he is considering holding a vote on the bill in his panel.

In the House, the effort is led by Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern, a Democrat, and Republican Chris Smith, a longtime critic of China.

“We have to do something. A million people are marching,” Smith said. House Foreign Affairs Chairman Eliot Engel said in an interview he would consider holding a committee vote on the measure.

Also see: How Trump Could Suddenly Amplify Hong Kong Protests: QuickTake

Images from Hong Kong this week have shown police with batons beating back protesters and crowds running from clouds of tear gas. The protesters argue the extradition measure would undercut local autonomy and end the financial hub’s status as a safe haven for dissidents fleeing mainland China.

The protests come at an awkward time for President Donald Trump‘s administration, which is attempting to negotiate a far-reaching trade accord with China at the upcoming G-20 meeting while threatening economically damaging tariffs if the talks fall through.

Trump said Wednesday he was confident that Hong Kong and China will resolve their differences.

“I hope it all works out for China and for Hong Kong,” the president said at the White House. “I’m sure they’ll be able to work it out.”

The White House hasn’t commented on the bipartisan bill, but it could urge Congress to delay action to keep from affecting trade talks.

Pelosi on Thursday denounced Hong Kong’s attempt to allow extraditions and called on Trump to bring the matter up in his discussions with China.

The extradition measure is “such a horribly dangerous piece of legislation,” she said. “I do hope the president will speak about freedoms and human rights in China when he talks about trade.”

To contact the reporter on this story: Erik Wasson in Washington at ewasson@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Kevin Whitelaw at kwhitelaw@bloomberg.net, Laurie Asséo, Anna Edgerton

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