Trump says he signed bills out of 'respect' for China, but country reacts with fury and warns of 'firm countermeasures'.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed into law congressional legislation backing protesters in Hong Kong drawing a swift and furious response from Beijing, which promised 'firm countermeasures'.
The legislation, approved unanimously by the Senate - the United States's upper house - and by all but one member of the House of Representatives - the lower house - last week, requires Hong Kong's special trade status with the US to be reviewed annually by the State Department, and also threatens sanctions for human rights violations.
Congress passed a second bill, which Trump also signed, banning the export to the Hong Kong police of crowd-control munitions, such as tear gas, pepper spray, rubber-coated bullets and stun guns.
"I signed these bills out of respect for President Xi, China, and the people of Hong Kong," Trump said in a statement. "They are being enacted in the hope that Leaders and Representatives of China and Hong Kong will be able to amicably settle their differences leading to long term peace and prosperity for all."
China's condemnation was swift.
A foreign ministry statement issued on Thursday, shortly after the US announcement repeated heated condemnations of the law and promised "firm countermeasures". Hong Kong's government, which received a drubbing in district elections on Sunday, expressed "extreme regret".
Protesters have been on the streets of the territory since June, angered first by a proposed extradition bill that would have allowed people to be sent to China for trial. That bill has now been dropped, but the protests have evolved into wider calls for China to stand by commitments made to allow Hong Kong a "high degree of autonomy" when it regained sovereignty over the city in 1997.
That pledge, known as "one country, two systems", was meant to last 50 years and is the basis of the self-governing Chinese territory's special status under US law. Protesters say freedoms have been steadily eroded.
China anger
Trump had been vague about whether he would sign or veto the legislation while trying to strike a deal with China on trade that he has made a top priority in advance of his 2020 re-election bid.
After Congress passed the bill, Trump's aides debated whether the president's endorsement could undermine efforts to reach an interim deal, and most of them ultimately recommended the signing to show support for the protesters, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The decision was also influenced by the overwhelming majorities in the Senate and House in favour of the legislation, which was widely seen as making the bills veto-proof, as well as the landslide victory in Hong Kong on Sunday of the pro-democracy camp, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
If Trump had opted to use his veto, it could have been overridden by two-thirds votes in the Senate and the House. The legislation would have automatically become law on December 3 if Trump had opted to do nothing.
Hong Kong's Carrie Lam offers no concessions despite poll rout
"He had no choice," said Al Jazeera's Patty Culhane, reporting from Washington DC. "Congress forced his hand."
Culhane added that Trump's statement suggested the president was reluctant to invoke the legislation that China had denounced as a gross interference in its affairs and a violation of international law.
After pushing back against the legislation for days, the foreign ministry on Thursday issued a strongly-worded statement accusing the US of acting arbitrarily and interfering in its internal matters.
"This is not just about Hong Kong," Al Jazeera's Andrew Thomas said from Hong Kong. "This is about the US meddling in China's internal affairs. They are absolutely furious about it."
In its statement, the Hong Kong government said the two acts "clearly" intervened in Hong Kong's internal affairs. "They are unnecessary and unwarranted," it said, adding the measures would send "an erroneous signal to protesters, which is not conducive to alleviating the situation in Hong Kong."
Move welcomed
In Washington, members of Congress applauded Trump's decision to sign the bill.
"The US now has new and meaningful tools to deter further influence and interference from Beijing into Hong Kong’s internal affairs," Republican Senator Marco Rubio said in a statement.
Many see the US legislation as symbolic, but the bills' provisions have the potential, if implemented, to completely change relations between the US and Hong Kong and leave the territory treated in the same as any other Chinese city.
Analysts say any move to end Hong Kong's special treatment could prove self-defeating to the US, which has benefitted from the business-friendly conditions in the territory. If Hong Kong becomes just another Chinese port, companies that rely on the territory's role as a middleman or for trans-shipping could take their business elsewhere.
That said, the bills contain strong waivers that would allow the president to block their provisions on grounds of national security or national interest.
According to the State Department, 85,000 US citizens were living in Hong Kong in 2018 and more than 1,300 US companies were operating there, including nearly every major US financial firm.
The territory is a major destination for US legal and accounting services. In 2018, the largest US bilateral trade-in-goods surplus was with Hong Kong at $31.1bn.
Trade between Hong Kong and the US was estimated to be worth $67.3 bn in 2018, with the US running a $33.8 bn surplus - its biggest with any country or territory, according to the Office of the US Trade Representative.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/11/trump-approves-legislation-backing-hong-kong-protesters-191128002853679.html
Showing posts with label [Aljazeera]. Show all posts
Showing posts with label [Aljazeera]. Show all posts
Thursday, November 28, 2019
Monday, November 25, 2019
[Aljazeera], !即時 Instant News, , Hong Kong democrats score historic victory amid ongoing protests
Local elections were seen as major test for the pro-Beijing government after nearly half a year of demonstrations.
Hong Kong, China - Hong Kong's pro-democratic parties swept the board in highly anticipated local elections seen as a barometer of public opinion after nearly six months of increasingly violent protests that have polarised the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.
Total turnout exceeded 2.94 million voters, a rate of 71 percent, surpassing a record from the previous legislative council election in 2016 of about 1.47 million.
As of 12pm (04:00 GMT), pro-democracy candidates had won a clear majority with 390 seats of the 452 district council seats, according to local broadcaster RTHK.
In the wake of the landslide win, Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam said she would "listen humbly" to voters.
Before daybreak on Sunday, long queues began to snake around the city's neighbourhoods as a mix of young and old voters waited for the polls - the first since political unrest erupted in June - to open.
In the working-class neighbourhood of Yau Ma Tei, a regular scene of clashes between police and demonstrators, no one waiting in line wore black, surgical masks or chanted slogans - all hallmarks of the pro-democracy protest movement.
The queue was quiet and orderly as voters ate breakfast in line and scrolled through their phones. Small squads of riot police were seen mingling around.
"I would like to say 'no' to the government, to what they have done these past few months," said Patrick Yeung, a 33-year-old IT worker who came early to vote, anticipating long lines.
"It makes me very angry ... [Chief Executive] Carrie Lam just doesn't listen to Hong Kong. We've come out so many times and they don't listen and make this situation worse."
'De facto referendum'
The district council historically deals with local livelihood issues, such as traffic and hygiene. But the protests have dramatically elevated their significance, at least symbolically.
For nearly half a year, anger and frustration have gripped Hong Kong as the city's Beijing-backed government refuses to concede to protesters' demands - save for the retraction of the hated extradition bill that sparked the unrest.
Government intransigence has galvanised the public, and voters are capitalising on the democratic opportunity to reiterate their demands, which include universal suffrage to choose Hong Kong's leaders, an independent inquiry into alleged police brutality and amnesty for all those arrested in connection with the protests.
A record 4.1 million people, including 400,000 new voters, signed up to cast ballots in the poll that will see all 452 seats across Hong Kong's 18 districts contested.
"This election is totally a de facto referendum for the protests," said Samson Yuen, an assistant professor at Lingnan University.
"Clearly, this one is more about political stance over the protests," Yuen said.
For the past few weeks, doubts loomed over whether the elections would even take place. Several candidates on both sides were attacked and multiple pro-democracy candidates were arrested, while prominent democracy activist Joshua Wong was barred from running.
Just a neighbourhood over from Yau Ma Tei, an estimated couple of dozen protesters remain trapped at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, which police have surrounded following one of the movement's fiercest clashes on campus. The city was paralysed for days as violence reached new escalations on both sides.
Patrick Nip, the secretary for constitutional and mainland affairs, said the violence "reduced the chance of holding the elections", while the Chinese Communist Party's official newspaper, the People's Daily, said: "Only by supporting the police force decisively putting down the riots can [Hong Kong] return to peace and hold fair elections, to help Hong Kong start again."
Hong Kong's Electoral Affairs Commission had called on the public to "stop all threats and violence to support the holding of elections in a peaceful and orderly manner".
For her part, Lam, when asked whether elections would be postponed, said the government "hopes that the elections can continue as planned".
Some pro-establishment voters, too, hoped to use their vote as a call to restore order.
"He supports constructive ideas to build up Hong Kong. We support people who do not disrupt Hong Kong," said Gary Wu, 40, who works in logistics, as he handed out fliers for a pro-establishment candidate named Horace Cheung in the Kennedy Town area.
"The priority should be people living here, a stable environment and economy."
'We are not going to give up our rights'
Given all the uncertainty surrounding the elections, Ryan Chen flew home on Saturday from Singapore, where he who works for a multinational company, just to vote in the election. Aged 35, this was his first time voting in the district council elections.
"It's important ... It's a way to really express your own opinions, one of the few ways you can do it in an orderly fashion," he said. "We should cherish the ability to express it ... It shows [the government] our opinions and gathers us together as Hongkongers," Chen added.
"But whether the government cares, honestly they don't."
The days running up to polls have been some of the most peaceful in months. To ensure the elections were not cancelled, protesters called on the public to exercise restraint. And in a bid to rally public support, protesters rebuilt the so-called Lennon Walls - some of which had been torn down by pro-establishment activists - and plastered public spaces with promotional materials, canvassing on street corners and disseminating reminders online.
Among the many new faces running for district council is Jason Chan, 22, a recent graduate now running in Fortress Hill for the pro-democracy camp.
Chan said this election was a "gesture to show the government that we are not going to give up our rights".
He added: "It becomes a kind of safer way to participate in politics compared to protesting on the streets, running inside established institutions."
One of the clarion calls for the district council election is to have more of a say in the selection of the city's leader. At present, the chief executive is chosen by a 1,200-person electoral committee, many of whom are Beijing loyalists. While a sizeable chunk goes to the district councillors, in the end, the elections are more symbolic than effective.
"There's no way to tip the balance, but that's not the point," said Steve Tsang, director of SOAS China Institute, University of London. "What Hong Kong people are really asking for is to 'listen to our voices, hear us, and act on what we say'."
Yuen, of Lingnan University, echoed that point. "Even if the pro-democracy camp are able to capture a lot of seats, it won't have very substantial meaning in terms of everyday politics ... It doesn't have a substantial effect on the pro-democracy movement, more of moral support for the current protests."
But even that is reason enough to draw youngsters to the polls.
"These few months have really shown a new picture for what Hong Kong people can do," said Iverson Ha, 23, a university student studying politics.
"We felt so powerless before June. Now many people come out, many people suffer. I don't think the government will respond to anything so it depends on civil society.
"Can we also fight in those different fields? If we can, I think Hong Kong has a future."
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/11/months-protests-hong-kong-heads-key-polls-191124051609941.html?fbclid=IwAR0gAzeFdPcIF8BtbIGdrEO4tsC5SsP6q9eEHOTzPxEUW4NfgVorhuIeat0
Hong Kong, China - Hong Kong's pro-democratic parties swept the board in highly anticipated local elections seen as a barometer of public opinion after nearly six months of increasingly violent protests that have polarised the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.
Total turnout exceeded 2.94 million voters, a rate of 71 percent, surpassing a record from the previous legislative council election in 2016 of about 1.47 million.
As of 12pm (04:00 GMT), pro-democracy candidates had won a clear majority with 390 seats of the 452 district council seats, according to local broadcaster RTHK.
In the wake of the landslide win, Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam said she would "listen humbly" to voters.
Before daybreak on Sunday, long queues began to snake around the city's neighbourhoods as a mix of young and old voters waited for the polls - the first since political unrest erupted in June - to open.
In the working-class neighbourhood of Yau Ma Tei, a regular scene of clashes between police and demonstrators, no one waiting in line wore black, surgical masks or chanted slogans - all hallmarks of the pro-democracy protest movement.
The queue was quiet and orderly as voters ate breakfast in line and scrolled through their phones. Small squads of riot police were seen mingling around.
"I would like to say 'no' to the government, to what they have done these past few months," said Patrick Yeung, a 33-year-old IT worker who came early to vote, anticipating long lines.
"It makes me very angry ... [Chief Executive] Carrie Lam just doesn't listen to Hong Kong. We've come out so many times and they don't listen and make this situation worse."
'De facto referendum'
The district council historically deals with local livelihood issues, such as traffic and hygiene. But the protests have dramatically elevated their significance, at least symbolically.
For nearly half a year, anger and frustration have gripped Hong Kong as the city's Beijing-backed government refuses to concede to protesters' demands - save for the retraction of the hated extradition bill that sparked the unrest.
Government intransigence has galvanised the public, and voters are capitalising on the democratic opportunity to reiterate their demands, which include universal suffrage to choose Hong Kong's leaders, an independent inquiry into alleged police brutality and amnesty for all those arrested in connection with the protests.
A record 4.1 million people, including 400,000 new voters, signed up to cast ballots in the poll that will see all 452 seats across Hong Kong's 18 districts contested.
"This election is totally a de facto referendum for the protests," said Samson Yuen, an assistant professor at Lingnan University.
"Clearly, this one is more about political stance over the protests," Yuen said.
For the past few weeks, doubts loomed over whether the elections would even take place. Several candidates on both sides were attacked and multiple pro-democracy candidates were arrested, while prominent democracy activist Joshua Wong was barred from running.
Just a neighbourhood over from Yau Ma Tei, an estimated couple of dozen protesters remain trapped at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, which police have surrounded following one of the movement's fiercest clashes on campus. The city was paralysed for days as violence reached new escalations on both sides.
Patrick Nip, the secretary for constitutional and mainland affairs, said the violence "reduced the chance of holding the elections", while the Chinese Communist Party's official newspaper, the People's Daily, said: "Only by supporting the police force decisively putting down the riots can [Hong Kong] return to peace and hold fair elections, to help Hong Kong start again."
Hong Kong's Electoral Affairs Commission had called on the public to "stop all threats and violence to support the holding of elections in a peaceful and orderly manner".
For her part, Lam, when asked whether elections would be postponed, said the government "hopes that the elections can continue as planned".
Some pro-establishment voters, too, hoped to use their vote as a call to restore order.
"He supports constructive ideas to build up Hong Kong. We support people who do not disrupt Hong Kong," said Gary Wu, 40, who works in logistics, as he handed out fliers for a pro-establishment candidate named Horace Cheung in the Kennedy Town area.
"The priority should be people living here, a stable environment and economy."
'We are not going to give up our rights'
Given all the uncertainty surrounding the elections, Ryan Chen flew home on Saturday from Singapore, where he who works for a multinational company, just to vote in the election. Aged 35, this was his first time voting in the district council elections.
"It's important ... It's a way to really express your own opinions, one of the few ways you can do it in an orderly fashion," he said. "We should cherish the ability to express it ... It shows [the government] our opinions and gathers us together as Hongkongers," Chen added.
"But whether the government cares, honestly they don't."
The days running up to polls have been some of the most peaceful in months. To ensure the elections were not cancelled, protesters called on the public to exercise restraint. And in a bid to rally public support, protesters rebuilt the so-called Lennon Walls - some of which had been torn down by pro-establishment activists - and plastered public spaces with promotional materials, canvassing on street corners and disseminating reminders online.
Among the many new faces running for district council is Jason Chan, 22, a recent graduate now running in Fortress Hill for the pro-democracy camp.
Chan said this election was a "gesture to show the government that we are not going to give up our rights".
He added: "It becomes a kind of safer way to participate in politics compared to protesting on the streets, running inside established institutions."
One of the clarion calls for the district council election is to have more of a say in the selection of the city's leader. At present, the chief executive is chosen by a 1,200-person electoral committee, many of whom are Beijing loyalists. While a sizeable chunk goes to the district councillors, in the end, the elections are more symbolic than effective.
"There's no way to tip the balance, but that's not the point," said Steve Tsang, director of SOAS China Institute, University of London. "What Hong Kong people are really asking for is to 'listen to our voices, hear us, and act on what we say'."
Yuen, of Lingnan University, echoed that point. "Even if the pro-democracy camp are able to capture a lot of seats, it won't have very substantial meaning in terms of everyday politics ... It doesn't have a substantial effect on the pro-democracy movement, more of moral support for the current protests."
But even that is reason enough to draw youngsters to the polls.
"These few months have really shown a new picture for what Hong Kong people can do," said Iverson Ha, 23, a university student studying politics.
"We felt so powerless before June. Now many people come out, many people suffer. I don't think the government will respond to anything so it depends on civil society.
"Can we also fight in those different fields? If we can, I think Hong Kong has a future."
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/11/months-protests-hong-kong-heads-key-polls-191124051609941.html?fbclid=IwAR0gAzeFdPcIF8BtbIGdrEO4tsC5SsP6q9eEHOTzPxEUW4NfgVorhuIeat0
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