No Degree of Separation

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Hong Kong and Chinese officials lashed out at the US House of Representatives on Wednesday after it passed a bill that could force the closure of Hong Kong’s three trade offices in the United States, amid allegations that the city no longer has sufficient autonomy from Beijing, Agence France-Presse reported.

On Tuesday, US lawmakers voted in favor of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Certification, which calls for a review of the autonomy of Hong Kong’s trade offices in New York, San Francisco and Washington, DC.

If the offices are found to not be operating with a “high degree of autonomy” from Beijing, they could lose their diplomatic privileges and be required to close within 180 days.

The trade offices play a key role in representing Hong Kong’s trade and economic interests. Although not full diplomatic missions, they enjoy certain privileges, such as immunity from legal action.

In recent years, the offices have also been involved in public relations efforts to counter negative perceptions of Hong Kong, particularly since the imposition of the 2020 national security law, which critics say has undermined the city’s freedoms, according to the South China Morning Post.

The Hong Kong government condemned the move, while China’s foreign ministry criticized the legislation for “deliberately tarnishing” Hong Kong’s overseas institutions and threatened to take “practical and effective measures” if the bill advances further.

The bill still needs to pass the Senate and be signed by President Joe Biden before becoming law.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong and Chinese officials accused the US of gross interference in internal affairs, while the bill comes amid growing concerns that Hong Kong is no longer sufficiently autonomous from China to justify maintaining its separate trade representation.

Supporters of the legislation said the national security law, which effectively silenced dissent in the city, has eroded Hong Kong’s status.

The US remains one of Hong Kong’s largest trading partners, seeing a $271.5 billion trade surplus over the past decade.