COMMISSION URGES CONGRESSIONAL ACTION AGAINST IMPENDING HONG KONG LEGISLATION

Washington, D.C. – The U.S.-China Economic & Security Review Commission sent a letter last Friday (attached) to the four Congressional Leaders, urging expeditious Congressional action opposing legislation pending before the Hong Kong legislature that would erode the basic freedoms of the Hong Kong people.

On July 9, the Hong Kong Legislative Council is scheduled to consider "national security" legislation that would give the Beijing-sponsored Hong Kong Government sweeping powers to prohibit a broad range of religious, political, and journalistic activity. Passage by the Government-controlled legislature is assured in the absence of outside pressure.

In the letter to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle, Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert, and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Commission Chairman Roger W. Robinson, Jr. and Vice Chairman C. Richard D’Amato stated that "an immediate and concerted effort by the U.S. Government is needed to effect the withdrawal of this legislation and protect the fundamental freedoms of the Hong Kong people." The Commission specifically urged the Congressional Leaders to "take strong action as soon as possible opposing the proposed legislation and requesting that the Hong Kong Government withdraw the bill from consideration before the Legislative Council" and urged the President and Secretary of State to "argue forcefully against the bill with their Chinese counterparts."

Martin Lee, the founding chairman of the Hong Kong Democratic Party, led a high-level delegation of Hong Kong legislators and other leading citizens to Washington, DC last week to urge U.S. pressure on the Hong Kong Government to withdraw this bill or make major modifications. The measure as written is opposed by legal scholars, including the Hong Kong and New York City Bar Associations, and was criticized by the European Parliament.

The Commission was established by Congress in 2000 to assess the national security implications of trade and economic ties between the United States and the People’s Republic of China and is mandated to report its findings to the Congress, along with recommendations for legislative or administrative action. The Commission issued its first Report to Congress in July 2002. The Report, as well as transcripts of Commission hearings, copies of Commission-sponsored research, and translated articles on a number of pertinent topics, are available on the Commission’s website.

Click here to view the Commission Letter to Congressional Leaders - (PDF file), (HTML file)

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