Mike Pompeo slams China over arrest of Hong Kong protesters and responsibility for coronavirus toll
- Secretary of state says US will investigate China’s role in the loss of ‘tens of thousands of American lives and enormous amounts of wealth’ once pandemic ebbs
- Recent actions in Hong Kong threaten promises made by Chinese Communist Party under ‘one country, two systems’ accord, Pompeo says
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo took aim at China on multiple fronts on Wednesday, including Beijing’s treatment of protesters in Hong Kong, the use of Huawei telecoms equipment by American diplomatic facilities and China’s culpability in the spread of the coronavirus.
The Trump administration will insist that all US embassies communicate on computer networks free of Huawei equipment, and it plans to investigate China’s role in the loss of “tens of thousands of American lives and enormous amounts of wealth” once the pandemic ebbs, Pompeo said at a press conference.
He said Washington was also concerned about reports of a recent wave of arrests by Hong Kong authorities of pro-democracy activists. Earlier this month, police rounded up at least 15 opposition activists, including media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and prominent barrister Martin Lee Chu-ming.
Pompeo said recent actions threatened promises made by the Chinese Communist Party under the “one country, two systems” agreement.
“Any effort to impose draconian national security legislation on Hong Kong would be inconsistent with Beijing's promises and would impact American interests there,” he said.
The comments follow the release on Tuesday of a letter by a bipartisan group by US lawmakers urging Pompeo to factor in the recent arrests in the State Department’s annual US assessment of Hong Kong autonomy.