“These are difficult times for both our countries. It is important that we each continue to work to make our agreement a success,” the USTR said in a statement, while the US State Department was railing against the National People’s Congress move. A discordant note of optimism drowned in a chorus of opprobrium.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo must deliver his verdict soon on whether Hong Kong is sufficiently autonomous to retain the different trading status Hong Kong has with the United States, compared with mainland China.The passage last year of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which US President Donald Trump had no choice but to sign given overwhelming, bipartisan support for the bill, gives Pompeo more flexibility in what countermeasures he can take.
