US performs a tricky balancing act amid drama over Hong Kong extradition bill protests

The Trump administration’s measured approach over the past week as massive protests built in Hong Kong, forcing its government to back down over a proposed extradition law, reflects a delicate balancing act. At issue for the United States has been how to maintain pressure on China without unduly penalising the Hong Kong people or pushing an angry Beijing too far.

On Sunday, a crowd estimated at up to 2 million people took to the streets, the third protest in a week, despite Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s move a day earlier to suspend the controversial bill. As the numbers swelled on Sunday, Lam apologised in a statement “in the most sincere and humble way”, capping a historic week that started with the gathering of an estimated 1 million protesters, until then the biggest in the city’s history.

Despite giving ground on the bill and apologising, she still has not ruled out reintroducing it later. That has left Hong Kong critics vowing to keep the pressure on until it is shelved completely, amid fears it could be used to extradite residents to mainland China for contrived political or business offences.

The unusually restrained American stance taken by US President Donald Trump, a man not generally known for treading carefully, appears to have paid off, at least so far. While the administration caught some early flak for meddling in China’s internal affairs, it avoided becoming the main focus of Beijing’s ire even as the main US objective was achieved with the law’s suspension.

Trump’s only significant comment came midweek when he said he expected Beijing and Hong Kong would “be able to work it out”.

“There’s a fundamental balance the administration sought to reach,” said Michael Hirson, head of the China practice at Eurasia Group and the former top US Treasury official in Beijing. “The administration has wanted to put pressure on Beijing.