The alarming arrests over the weekend of democracy advocates Martin Lee, Margaret Ng, Jimmy Lai and others in Hong Kong and the apparent surrendering of Hong Kong’s home rule to mainland China, has prompted human rights leaders urge Hong Kong’s executive chief to reaffirm Hong Kong’s autonomy and take action to protect the rights of peaceful democracy leaders. 

  “Chief Executive Carrie Lam must immediately clarify whether the Liaison Office of the People’s Republic of China is subject to the Basic Law. I call upon Ms. Lam to protect the fundamental rights of the Hong Kong people and resist any unlawful encroachment by the mainland Chinese government or the Communist Party in the internal affairs of Hong Kong,” said Rep. Chris Smith, the author of the House-passed Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act.

  “These egregious arrests by Hong Kong authorities underscore the need for the Trump administration to ensure that our new law mandating a review which could lead to sanctions against Chinese and Hong Kong government officials for arbitrary detention and other abuses—and address and incorporate the latest outrage.”

  According to Smith, under the law Trump signed on November 27, 2019, the President must submit a report to Congress not later than 180 days after he signed it, identifying persons responsible for undermining fundamental freedoms and autonomy in Hong Kong. “That means the report can be made anytime but not later than May 25, 2020,” he said.

  Smith further questioned statements by the Hong Kong authorities indicating that the Liaison Office of the People’s Republic of China is not subject to Hong Kong’s Basic Law, which guarantees the people of Hong Kong their rights and freedoms and a high degree of autonomy for the Special Administrative Region.

  Smith serves as ranking member of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, and for many years was its chairman. He has held more than 60 hearings on the Chinese government’s abuses of the human rights of its own citizens.

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