In response to Secretary Mike Pompeo actions today to impose restrictions on Chinese Communist Party officials responsible for the severe crackdown on the free people of Hong Kong, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Ranking Member of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, said the following:

     “I welcome Secretary Mike Pompeo’s announcement today that the Trump Administration is sanctioning Chinese Communist Party officials responsible for undermining the freedom of the citizens of Hong Kong.  In seeking to destroy the ‘high degree of autonomy’ Beijing promised the Hong Kong people, as enshrined in treaty, and in interfering with the right of the people to peaceably assemble and lobby for democracy, these Communist Party officials deserve to be stripped of visas that would allow them to travel to the United States. Having introduced the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act in the House of Representatives, it is especially gratifying for me to see the Administration take a stand for freedom and against tyranny.”

     On May 27, Secretary Pompeo announced that that Hong Kong is no longer autonomous from China, due to China’s increased repression of Hong Kong citizen’s rights. Only weeks earlier, on May 14, U.S. News & World Report and other media reported the Chinese propaganda government newspaper threatened sanctions against Smith and other Members of Congress.

     Rep. Smith was prime sponsor of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act which was debated and passed by the House on October 15, 2019.

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