The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government has sharply criticized the US House of Representatives for passing the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) Certification Act, which it claims “slanders laws on safeguarding national security” and “smears the human rights situation” in Hong Kong. The bill, which passed with a vote of 413-3, targets the diplomatic status of HKETOs in the US, contingent upon the HKSAR’s continued autonomy from the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
The Certification Act mandates that the US president periodically assess whether HKETOs should retain their operational privileges based on Hong Kong’s level of autonomy. The HKSAR government denounced the bill as “fact-twisting” and a politically motivated attack that breaches international law and interferes in Hong Kong’s domestic affairs. As a countermeasure, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned that “strong and resolute countermeasures” would follow if the bill advances. More information on the HKSAR government’s response is available here.
The bill was introduced by Representative Christopher H. Smith and co-chaired by Senator Jeff Merkley of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC). A press release from the CECC argues that the HKETOs, originally intended to function under the “one country, two systems” principle, have become “mere appendages” of the Chinese government. The CECC emphasized the diminishing civil and political freedoms in Hong Kong, accusing the HKETOs of promoting propaganda contrary to the reality of political imprisonment in Hong Kong. The full press release is accessible here.
The HKSAR government maintains that it upholds the rule of law and human rights, consistent with the “one country, two systems” framework. It asserts that all enforcement actions under the National Security Law (NSL) are evidence-based and lawful, unrelated to individuals’ political affiliations. The government also highlighted the economic and cultural benefits derived from HKETO operations, noting a substantial trade surplus with the US.
Globally, Hong Kong operates 14 HKETOs, including three in the US. In a related incident, British authorities arrested a manager of the HKETO in London alongside two others for allegedly aiding foreign intelligence operations. The Chinese Embassy in London refuted these claims, accusing the UK of fabricating the case. For further details on the arrest, see the coverage here.