Will Washington agree on new Hong Kong human rights and democracy act?

Hong Kong bill enjoys bipartisan support on Capitol Hill, but minefield of congressional committees, lawyers, diplomats and the whims of a president lie in wait

Senate source says House needs to realise legislation is an urgent matter

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American flags fly as protesters take part in a march from Chater Garden in the Central district of Hong Kong to the consulate central of the United States. Photo: KY Cheng

Published: 2:57pm, 25 Sep 2019Updated: 1:35am, 26 Sep 2019

A US bill designed to support democratic freedoms in Hong Kong by increasing pressure on Chinese authorities has received strong bipartisan support in Washington, but questions remain over how to define the city’s “autonomy” and whether violent protesters should be allowed US visas.

The passage of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019 will need the signature of President Donald Trump, who may use it as a chip in his trade negotiations with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

Another balancing act is how to preserve the best of the 1992 Hong Kong Policy Act that grants the city special trading privileges while creating enough pressure to help it to greater democracy.

“The question becomes, how well are the two chambers, and the two parties in the two chambers, working together,” said a congressional source. “You’re making sausage.”

The House and Senate foreign relations committees are working on the language in their respective versions this week. With the number of co-sponsors up to 22 in the Senate and 37 in the House, the bill could become law by mid-October.