US stance on Hong Kong unlikely to change if Kamala Harris becomes president, analysts say
- Experts say competition between China, US remains bipartisan issue, while Harris has little foreign affairs experience
Experts told the Post that the overarching competition between China and the United States, as well as Harris’ limited experience in US foreign affairs and her track record on Hong Kong policies, diminished the likelihood of her carving out a different path.
“Competition between China and the US will remain tense, especially over Taiwan and the South China Sea,” said Lau Siu-kai, a consultant for Beijing’s semi-official think tank, the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies.
“No matter who becomes president, I don’t think they will be particularly friendly to Hong Kong.”
US President Joe Biden endorsed Harris as the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee as he announced his decision to drop out of the race on Monday, with political heavyweights such as California Governor Gavin Newsom, past contender Hillary Clinton and former president Bill Clinton throwing their support behind her.
ActBlue, the party’s fundraising platform, recorded US$46.7 million in donations within nine hours of Harris’ endorsement, marking the biggest fundraising day in the current election cycle.
Dov Haim Levin, an associate professor of international relations at the University of Hong Kong, said the presidential hopeful’s stance on foreign policy was unlikely to deviate from Biden’s position if she secured the top job.