The United States expresses deep concern over Hong Kong authorities’ enactment of national security legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law. This law will have broad implications for the people in Hong Kong as well as U.S. citizens and companies operating there and threatens to further undermine the rights and freedoms of people in Hong Kong. It includes vaguely defined provisions regarding “sedition,” “state secrets,” and interactions with foreign entities that could be used to curb dissent.
We share concerns expressed by other nations that Hong Kong authorities could seek to apply the new legislation extraterritorially in their ongoing campaign of transnational repression, and condemn efforts to intimidate, harass, and limit the free speech of U.S. citizens and residents. Implementing the new law and its opaque provisions could further violate the PRC’s international commitment to maintain Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy, undermine the “One Country, Two Systems” framework, and damage the city’s reputation as an international business hub.
We stand firm in our commitment to defending human rights and democratic values worldwide and continue to stand with our international partners and people in Hong Kong.