Activists involved in pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong have appealed to US lawmakers to support ir fight by banning export of American police equipment that is used against demonstrators and by more closely monitoring Chinese efforts to undermine civil liberties in city.

RE | Hong Kong protesters: 'We will t surrender', rally for UK support

Hong Kong calls for support from US

activists, including several young people who have emerged as prominent figures in a leerless movement, testified before a US government commission set up by Congress to monitor human rights in China.  

Republicans and Democrats on Congressional-Executive Commission on China expressed ir support Tuesday for protests that began in June with a since-withdrawn bill to extrite people arrested in semiautomous Chinese territory to China for prosecution. 

' heart of discontent is that Hong Kong's political leers do t represent and are t accountable to people. Inste, Hong Kong's leers are beholden to Chinese government', said Rep. James McGovern, D-Mass on Tuesday. 

former British colony has been allowed certain automy and freedoms since it was returned to China in 1997 as a territory, with a "one country, two systems" policy that was supposed to ensure a smooth political transition. 

Under US law, territory of Hong Kong receives special treatment in matters of tre, customs, sanctions enforcement, law enforcement cooperation and more. China has benefited from this, and lawmakers believe, used it to eve US export controls and sanctions. 

RE | Hong Kong protestors light up hills, continue protests during festival

Rep. Christopher Smith, R-N.J., has authored legislation that places Beijing on "annual tice" that y will lose Hong Kong's special ecomic and tre status if its automy continues to erode. 

Smith's bill would also allow qualified Hong Kong residents to work or study in US even if y have been arrested for participating in nviolent protests. 

Earlier this month, Smith, McGovern and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., put forward legislation that would block US company exports of police weapons and equipment to Hong Kong. 

Joshua Wong, a Hong Kong activist who has been jailed multiple times, told lawmakers that Hong Kong is a "police state," where every demonstration is automatically an illegal assembly that results in violent police arrest and where protesters gar amid a mounting Chinese military troop present across border.

" present state of affairs reveals Beijing's utter inability to understand, let alone govern, a free society," Wong said. 

Activist Sunny Cheung told lawmakers that young protesters face riot police carrying letters with ir last will. 

"y believe only limits to ir freedom are ir deaths," Cheung said. "We fight for freedom from a sense of duty and dignity." Denise Ho, a Hong Kong-based pop artist who has testified on issue before United Nations, told lawmakers that more than 1,500 people in Hong Kong, including a 12-year-old child, have been arrested. Many more have been injured by police tear gas, rubber bullets, water canns, and batons.

RE | Fights break out as Hong Kong's polarisation deepens

China obstructs dialogue between Hong Kong and Foreign Law Makers

Ho said many artists in Hong Kong, companies, as well as institutions in nations like Australia and Cana have backed down from supporting Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters because of China's intimidation. China has also used social media campaigns, cyberattacks, and techlogy to target increasingly paraid protesters and present m as problem to West.

Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for Chinese foreign ministry, ascribed violence in Hong Kong to protesters at a Tuesday briefing in Beijing. She derided Western politicians meeting with Hong Kong "separatists" at cocktail parties and w in United States. 

"Hong Kong is China's internal affair," she said. " foreign government, organization or individual can interfere. We vise m to have a clear understanding of situation and pull out ir dirty hands from Hong Kong. 

RE | Hong Kong: Police fire tear gas, water cann at protesters in a clash