US law on Hong Kong ‘completely unnecessary’ and will risk backfiring on more than 1,300 American firms in city, Carrie Lam says

Lam says Hong Kong is highly free in many aspects, including freedom for media to report news, and for people to take part in assemblies and practise religion

Long-term impact of the law will depend on US’ assessment of the city’s situation, but business confidence will be dampened in the short run, she says

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Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam says it is regrettable that a foreign legislature and government have used their legislation to meddle in Hong Kong affairs. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 6:51pm, 3 Dec 2019Updated: 10:55pm, 3 Dec 2019

Hong Kong’s leader has slammed a “completely unnecessary” US law that could pave the way for economic sanctions against the government and warned it risks backfiring on more than 1,300 American firms based in the city.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s remarks on Tuesday came a week after US President Donald Trump signed the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which allows Washington to impose sanctions on officials deemed to have violated human rights in the city.

Under the legislation, Washington also has the power to suspend Hong Kong’s special trading status if it is deemed to have lost a significant degree of autonomy from Beijing, as promised under the “one country, two systems” framework. As a result, the city will also be subject to an annual assessment of the enforcement of export control laws that limit the sale of sensitive products overseas.

Anti-government protesters wave American flags at a rally in Central on December 1 to thank the US government for passing the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act. Photo: Winson Wong

Before her weekly cabinet meeting at the Executive Council on Tuesday, Lam said the legislation was groundless. “We believe it was completely unnecessary and unfounded. Hong Kong’s human rights and freedoms are protected by the Basic Law. I want to ask: which aspect of Hong Kong residents’ freedom was being eroded?” she said.

“We are highly free in many aspects. We have the freedom for media to report news, for people to take part in assemblies, demonstrations and marches, and the freedom of religion. So it is very regrettable that a foreign legislature and government have used their legislation to meddle in Hong Kong affairs.”