US ends defence exports to Hong Kong, seeking to more restrictions
30 June, 2020
The United States is ending defence exports to Hong Kong and is considering further restrictions on trade with the territory, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday (Jun 29).
China recently moved to impose new reliability legislation that has raised worries among Hong Kong democracy activists that Beijing is further eroding the comprehensive autonomy promised when Britain handed the territory back to China in 1997.
"The Chinese Communist Party’s decision to eviscerate Hong Kong’s freedoms provides forced the Trump administration to re-evaluate its plans toward the territory," Pompeo said.
He said the United States, effective Monday, was closing exports of defence apparatus to Hong Kong and can also take techniques to end the export of dual-use technology to the territory. Dual-use technologies have both industrial and military uses.
The announcements come at the same time of intensified US rhetoric against Beijing as President Donald Trump campaigns for re-election. Opinion polls have proven voters progressively embittered toward China, especially over the coronavirus, which commenced there.
"AMERICA is forced to have this action to safeguard US national security. We can no longer distinguish between the export of controlled what to Hong Kong or even to mainland China," Pompeo explained.
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