Developments in Hong Kong and Macau
(Washington)—Representative Christopher Smith (R-NJ) and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), the Chair and Cochair, respectively of the bipartisan and bicameral Congressional-Executive Commission on China, released today a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken asking that he impose sanctions on the Hong Kong and People’s Republic of China officials responsible for the bounties placed on overseas activists using the authorities available under the Hong Kong Autonomy Act and the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act.
(Washington)--Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), the Chair and Cochair, respectively, of the bipartisan and bicameral Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), issued the following statement on the trial of entrepreneur and democracy advocate Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong—who is being accused under the draconian National Security Law for colluding with “foreign forces” to endanger national security. The charges could carry a life sentence.
(Washington)—The Chairs of the bipartisan and bicameral Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), today wrote to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as he begins a two-day trip to United States, urging him to “coordinate actions on Hong Kong policy with the Biden Administration” and “publicly make the release of Jimmy Lai and other political prisoners in Hong Kong a priority.”
(Washington)—The Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) today released a staff report detailing the role Hong Kong judges play in establishing a de facto parallel legal system where basic procedural rights such as trial by jury and presumption of innocence are routinely violated.
According to some estimates, there are over 1,000 political prisoners in Hong Kong, a development that was unthinkable less than a decade ago. Following 2019 protests for democracy and political reforms, the Chinese government unilaterally imposed a national security law (NSL) that created four vaguely defined national security crimes and a set of rules that weakened Hong Kong’s once vaunted judicial independence, creating a parallel legal system to try NSL cases with judges handpicked by the Chief Executive.
Introduction (PDF)
Since the National People’s Congress Standing Committee of the People’s Republic of China imposed the National Security Law[1] on Hong Kong three years ago, authorities have used it to crack down on civil society and repress opposition voices through criminal prosecution, creating a chilling effect felt throughout the former British colony. It has been reported that Hong Kong has over 1,000 political prisoners. Some analysts argue that the law established a de facto parallel legal system where procedural rights are curtailed and substantive rights violated. As participants in this system, judges appointed to handle national security cases contribute to these systemic violations.
(Washington)—Representative Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ) and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), the Chair and Cochair, respectively, of the bipartisan and bicameral Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) issued the following statement today on the second anniversary of the arrest of pro-democracy activists now on trial under the National Security Law.
(Washington, DC)—Representative Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ) and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), the Chair and Cochair respectively of the bipartisan and bicameral Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) today announced the introduction of legislation that would revoke the diplomatic immunities and privileges granted to the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices (HKETOs) that operate in the United States as the official representative offices of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, but now appear to be mere appendages of China’s Communist government. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Representative James P.
(Washington, DC)— Representative Christopher Smith (R-NJ) and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), the Chair and Cochair, respectively, of the bicameral and bipartisan Congressional-Executive Commission on China, and Representative James P. McGovern (D-MA) and Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), former Chairs of the Commission, today announced their nomination of six Hong Kongers for the Nobel Peace Prize. Jimmy Lai, Cardinal Joseph Zen, Tonyee Chow Hang-tung, Gwyneth Ho, Lee Cheuk-Yan and Joshua Wong were nominated because they are ardent champions of Hong Kong’s autonomy, human rights, and the rule of law as guaranteed under the Sino-British Declaration and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
(Washington)—Senator Jeff Merkley and Representative Jim McGovern, Chair and Cochair respectively, of the bipartisan and bicameral Congressional-Executive Commission on China issued the follow statement on the scheduled participation of the heads of U.S. financial firms such as Goldman Sachs, Blackrock, Citigroup, and Morgan Stanley in a Hong Kong investment summit alongside sanctioned Chief Executive John Lee in early November 2022.