The U.S. government must enforce federal laws that hold individuals accountable for eroding Hong Kong’s rule of law, democracy, and human rights, according to U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI) and a bipartisan contingent of his colleagues, who called for sanctions against 28 members of Hong Kong’s government.
Specifically, the lawmakers voiced concerns with the Biden administration about Hong Kong’s passage of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance law in March 2024, and the subsequent conviction of pro-democracy activists known as Hong Kong 47, who were charged on May 29 under the country’s national security law.
“These actions by Hong Kong authorities represent a significant escalation in their efforts to dismantle Hong Kong’s autonomy and stifle dissent at the behest of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP),” wrote Rep. Moolenaar, chairman of the U.S. House Select Committee on the CCP, and his three colleagues in a July 17 letter sent to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen.
Select Committee Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) joined Rep. Moolenaar in signing the letter, as did Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) Chairman Chris Smith (R-NJ) and CECC Co-Chair U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkeley (D-OR).
“We acknowledge the State Department’s response to these convictions with the announcement of visa restrictions on Hong Kong officials. However, such a measure alone is not adequate,” wrote the members, who called for the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, the Hong Kong Autonomy Act, and Executive Order 13936 to be enforced.
The lawmakers also urged Secretary Blinken and Secretary Yellen to consider sanctions on more than two dozen Hong Kong officials, including Secretary of Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok, Commissioner of the Police Force Raymond Siu Chak-yee, and Office for Safeguarding National Security Director Dong Jingwei, as well as several prosecutors, judges, and magistrates.
“Imposing sanctions under these frameworks would send a clear and unmistakable message that the United States stands firmly with the people of Hong Kong in their struggle for democracy and human rights,” wrote Rep. Moolenaar and his colleagues. “It would also underscore our commitment to holding accountable those who perpetrate and enable human rights abuses.”
The Select Committee and the CECC leaders also requested a staff-level briefing regarding what actions have been taken by the State Department to safeguard Hong Kong democracy and human rights since January 2021.