China slams US bill against it gazumping Hong Kong's autonomy; refutes 'democracy' reason

The US Congress on Thursday passed a bill rebuking China over its crackdown in Hong Kong amid protests against the newly imposed National Security Law. Expressing opposition to Washington’s move, Beijing, through its mouthpiece ‘Global Times’, said that it strongly condemns the passage of the Hong Kong Autonomy Act. It further stated that America’s bill is not about the democracy or freedom of Honk Kong residents, but aims to “containing China's development, which will never succeed.”

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'Hong Kong Autonomy Act'

The US Senate on Thursday gave final legislative approval to the Hong Kong Autonomy Act, after the House approved it. Senator Chris Van Hollen, a co-sponsor of the Senate bill, said passage of the Act makes it clear that the United States “will not stand by as China seeks to crush freedom, human rights and democracy in Hong Kong.”

Van Hollen further said that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was already using its new authorities to punish and imprison those who demonstrated against the implementation of the national security law. The US legislation mandates severe consequences on those who repress the voices against the Chinese government, he added.

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Senator Pat Toomey, another lead sponsor of the bill, urged President Donald Trump to sign the Hong Kong Autonomy Act, into law. Through the bill, CCP will learn there are consequences for repressing the freedom of Hong Kongers he added. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also praised the bill, terming it as an urgently needed response to the “cowardly Chinese government’s passage of its so-called national security law.”

China’s national security law

Irrespective of the severe backlash on China’s developments in Hong Kong, the law would enable punishment of crimes such as secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces with at up to life in prison. While China has argued that the law is to safeguard the nation’s security, critics of the law think it threatens the promised autonomy of the city and increases China’s authority on the residents.

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