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(Washington, D.C.—July 2, 2020) The House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill to impose sanctions on China over its interference with Hong Kong’s rights yesterday.
A version of the bill was approved by the Senate last week, and the legislation could be on President Trump’s desk as early as today. If Trump signs it, it will become law in the United States.
The news came just a day after Chinese President Xi Jinping signed Hong Kong’s National Security Law into effect. The law seeks to prosecute people deemed guilty of subversion, secession, terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces. However, a similar law in mainland China is used to prosecute innocent religious people and rights activists. Many fear the government could weaponize it against the protestors who have taken to the streets in Hong Kong over the past year.
Already, authorities have arrested around 370 protestors who gathered to demonstrate against the law. Ten of those arrests were said to be under accusations of breaking the new law. If convicted, they could be sent to mainland China for trial and sentenced to up to life in prison.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said the passage of the House’s bill was “an urgently needed response to the cowardly Chinese government’s passage of its so-called ‘national security’ law, which threatens the end of the ‘one country, two systems’ promised exactly 23 years ago today.”
Pelosi also encouraged“all freedom-loving people” to “condemn (Hong Kong’s new) horrific law.”
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