HK strongly condemns 'US fact-twisting' move aimed at trade offices

Wallis Wang and AP

Hong Kong has "strongly condemned" the US House of Representatives for "twisting facts" as it passed a bill that could close the city's representative offices in America.

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Certification Act was passed on Tuesday with bipartisan support at 413 to three. If approved, it will need to clear the Senate and be signed by the US president to become law.

Enacted, it would require the White House to remove the extension of certain privileges to the offices in Washington, New York and San Francisco if Hong Kong no longer enjoys a high degree of autonomy from China, and for other purposes.

The US secretary of state would need to determine if the offices merit the privileges. If they do not, the offices would have to terminate their operations within 180 days after such determination is delivered to Congress.

"The US House of Representatives' fact-twisting attack on Hong Kong is politically driven, violates international law and the basic norms governing international relations, and grossly interferes in the affairs of Hong Kong," the government said.

It called the act a "self-deception of double standards" as the United States maliciously slanders Hong Kong's national security laws while itself having "the most stringent national security legislation."

Hong Kong's 14 overseas trade offices - including three in America - have been operating in accordance with local legislation and maintaining close liaison with local authorities, business and think tanks to enrich ties between the city and where they are based.

The move "harms others without benefiting oneself," said Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau Ying-wah.

"There is no reason behind it. It's purely political.

"Currently, there are about 1,200 American companies here. The US has a very strong trade surplus [with Hong Kong] over the past 10 years of about US$270 billion [HK$2.11 trillion]. The passing of the bill and other reports actually are not creating any benefit to anybody at all."

Yau said a survey by the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong showed nearly 80 percent of its members feel safe doing business in the city.

Nearly 70 percent do not believe the national security law have impacted their operations.

Executive Council convener and lawmaker Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee urged US President Joe Biden not to sign the act, anticipating it will negatively impact Hong Kong's image overseas.

But fellow Executive Council member Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung said the commerce sector will not be significantly affected.

The Chinese Embassy in the United States has lodged a "solemn representation" denouncing the bill, warning Beijing will retaliate with concrete and powerful action if enacted.

"Some individuals from the US are deliberately concocting ill-intended laws related to Hong Kong, turning normal economic and trade cooperation into political instrument," an embassy spokesperson said. "What they have done leads to nowhere but will harm the US's own interests in the end."

wallis.wang@singtaonewscorp.com