United States Threatens Sanctions on China if It Implements the New Security Law in Hong Kong | International

White House National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien warned on Sunday in a television interview that the United States could impose sanctions on China if the Xi Jinping regime forces the implementation in Hong Kong of a controversial law that seeks to curb protests in this semi-autonomous territory. The so-called Basic Law prevents any “separatist”, “terrorist” or “subversion of the powers of the State” activity, concepts that, given the vagueness with which the Chinese laws are written, can be attributed to a large part of the demonstrations or activities.

O’Brien recalled that Beijing got engaged in 1984, after the resignation of the United Kingdom from what was its last Asian colony, to respect the autonomy of Hong Kong until 2047. The effective transfer of the territory took place in 1997. The National Security adviser pointed out that the law on the table violates that agreement. “With that law, it seems that basically they are going to take over Hong Kong and, if they do, probably the secretary of state [Mike Pompeo] it will be unable to certify that Hong Kong maintains a high degree of autonomy. And, if that happens, sanctions will be imposed on both, “he explained in the NBA’s” Meet the press “program.

“It is hard for me to see how Hong Kong can continue to be the Asian financial center that it has become if in the end China takes control. It seems to me like a big mistake on the part of Beijing. The financial community would not stay there, “he said. Robert O’Brien in another interview, on CBS, collected by AFP. “China depends on the capital of the rest of the world,” he added. “If they lose access to it, through Hong Kong, the blow Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party would take would be tremendous.”

O’Brien made these remarks after a day of major protests in Hong Kong, the biggest since the coronavirus crisis began. He also announced that the next G-7 leaders’ summit, which the United States is hosting, will be postponed to the end of June and it is not clear that it can be held in person.

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