Extradition bill crisis, US-China trade war on agenda when Hong Kong lawmakers meet US Congress members
- They were invited to attend four-day conference on city’s issues in Montana nine months ago – long before political crisis began
- ‘Rare exchange’ welcomed by both sides of political spectrum as a chance to make their voices heard
It will be an unusual, if not unprecedented, high-level conference between US and Hong Kong lawmakers, according to Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu, leader of the Civic Party, who will attend the gathering.
The four-day event will be held in the northwest state of Montana in mid-August. With financial support from the US consulate in Hong Kong, it was organised by the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation that was set up in 1983 to “promote understanding and cooperation among the nations and peoples of Asia and the United States”.
Four democrats will attend the conference – Yeung and his colleague Dennis Kwok Wing-hang, and the Democratic Party’s James To Kun-sun and Ip Kin-yuen.
Two lawmakers from the pro-establishment camp – New People’s Party chairwoman Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee and Liberal Party leader Felix Chung Kwok-pan – will also take part.