‘It depends on what the Chinese do’: US ‘unlikely to move’ on Hong Kong barring dramatic escalation over extradition bill
- Washington might consider sanctions if Chinese forces move into city and use violence against protesters
- US response could also be influenced by status of trade talks with Beijing
The Trump administration is unlikely to move to revise a 1992 act that gives Hong Kong special trade and business privileges unless there is a dramatic escalation by China in response to street protests there, a senior US official said.
“It’s going to depend on what the Chinese do,” the official said, adding that the United States might consider sanctions if there was a “precipitating event”, such as Hong Kong police being told to stand down and mainland Chinese forces moving in and using violence against protesters.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity on Thursday, said any US response could also be influenced by the status of trade talks with China that have dominated the US agenda with Beijing for months.
China appeared concerned about the possibility of the Hong Kong situation getting out of hand, the official said, adding that Washington believed Beijing was not interested in seeing it escalate and was looking for a way out without appearing to back down.
Opposition to a proposed Hong Kong law to allow extraditions to China on Sunday triggered the former British colony’s biggest political demonstration since its return to Chinese rule in 1997 under a “one country, two systems” deal.
Tens of thousands demonstrated in the following days. On Wednesday, protesters surrounded the legislature and swarmed onto a major motorway, before being forced back by riot police firing volleys of tear gas and rubber bullets.