— U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) on Monday reintroduced the “Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Certification Act,” HR 2661, a bill that would require the State Department to reevaluate the extension of the diplomatic privileges granted to the three official representative offices of the Hong Kong government in the United States.

“At one time, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices (HKETOs) represented a city whose prosperity was based on its protection of the fundamental human rights and freedom of the Hong Kong people--but the Hong Kong all of us knew and respected is gone. The city is now governed by Chinese Communist Party puppets who have become as repressive as their masters in Beijing,” said Smith. “HKETOs are pushing out Chinese Communist Party propaganda and spying on Hong Kongers living in the United States—this must stop.  Beijing should not have three extra diplomatic posts in the United States to do its bidding.”   

Smith said that HKETOs in Washington DC, New York, and San Francisco were granted diplomatic privileges in the late 1990s, under the assumption that Hong Kong would remain largely free from the Chinese Communist Party’s authoritarian grip.  The well-respected, senior international human rights lawmaker said that reality changed after Beijing imposed the National Security Law in Hong Kong in 2020.  There are now over 1,500 political prisoners in Hong Kong.  Only Burma and Belarus have jailed more political prisoners than Hong Kong in recent years. 

Representative James P. McGovern (D-MA) joined Smith as an original cosponsor of the legislation.  Smith is the Cochair and McGovern the Ranking Member of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China for the 119^th Congress. Smith’s The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Certification Act passed the House overwhelmingly in the 118^th Congress but was not taken up by the Senate.

The legislation would require the Secretary of State to certify whether HKETOs in the United States merit the extension of diplomatic “privileges, exemptions, and immunities” that they currently maintain.  If the Secretary certifies that the HKETOs do not merit diplomatic immunities, the President would terminate HKETO operations. This determination would be required yearly if the HKETO offices remain open in the United States.  The legislation also restricts federal entities from contracting with HKETOs on events or programs that present Hong Kong as a city that protects human rights and the rule of law.  The Smithsonian has partnered with HKETOs in the past on cultural and other programs.

Smith and House colleagues also reintroduced the “Jimmy Lai Way Act” (H.R. 2522) last week, a bill that would rename the street in front of the HKETO in Washington DC in honor of the entrepreneur and democracy champion.    

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