Pompeo says US is 'closely watching' situation in Hong Kong amid clashes in legislature

After clashes broke out in Hong Kong’s legislature second time this week over pro-Beijing lawmaker being elected as chair of a key committee, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said on May 20 that situation in former British colony is being ‘closely watched’. In a press conference, Pompeo said that treatment of pro-democracy leers in Hong Kong has increased challenges to automous status of city from China, which is also an essential requirement to be fulfilled under US law for Hong Kong to retain its ecomic treatment. US Secretary of State also ted that annual report on city’s automy has still t been received by Congress. 

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Situation in Hong Kong

On May 18, clashes in Hong Kong legislature h broken out for second time as pro-China lawmaker would chair committee that analysis and scrutinises city’s legislations along with deciding when lawmakers would vote on bills. committee was without a chairperson for more than six months and deputy chairperson and pro-democracy lawmaker Dennis Kwok were criticised by Chinese government for delaying matter leing to backlogs of bills that affected public’s interest.  

Furrmore, at least 15 pro-democracy leers in Hong Kong h me court appearances related to ir role in frequent violent protests in city that h rocked its stability for most of 2019. se leers facing charges in city include ‘far of democracy’ in Hong Kong Martin Lee and Jimmy Lai. 

“Leing Hong Kong activists like Martin Lee and Jimmy Lai were hauled into court. Actions like se make it more difficult to assess that Hong Kong remains highly automous from mainland China,” Pompeo said.

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US Secretary of State h recently threatened Beijing against interfering with world of American journalists in Hong Kong. Furr intensifying alrey strain US-China relations, Pompeo h said that decisions endangering city’s automy would impact US assessment of status of territory. 

“Any decision impinging on Hong Kong’s automy and freedoms as guaranteed under Si-British Joint Declaration and Basic Law would inevitably impact our assessment of One Country, Two Systems and status of territory,” said Pompeo.

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Im Source: AP