The Biden Administration Turns Its Back on Hong Kong
Rapprochement with Beijing takes its toll
By: Samuel Bickett
Today, April 5, 24 US-based Hong Kong advocacy organizations released a statement calling out the Biden Administration for its astoundingly tepid response to Hong Kong's new Article 23 National Security Law.
The Article 23 NSL gives the Beijing-controlled government new powers to crack down on all forms of dissent on the grounds of vaguely defined offenses of treason, espionage, sedition, and external interference. Although it was officially promulgated by the rubber-stamp Legislative Council, in fact, the law was forced on the people of Hong Kong by Beijing in direct contravention to Beijing’s internationally binding guarantees to maintain Hong Kong’s autonomy. The law has been roundly condemned by international human rights organizations.
On March 29, the US State Department announced its response to Article 23: a secret list of Hong Kong officials would be handed US visa bans. We don't know who is on the list, but it is almost certainly people who wouldn't visit the US anyway. In other words, it has no actual effect on the officials, the HK government, or Beijing…