The US Department of Commerce has suspended the preferential treatment of Hong Kong since Monday, including the effect of exemptions from export restrictions, the agency’s website said on Tuesday.
“With the Chinese Communist Party introducing new security measures against Hong Kong, the risk of US dual-use technology transferring to the People’s Liberation Army or the Department of Homeland Security has increased… Department of Commerce regulations allowing preferential treatment of Hong Kong compared to China, including the availability of export exemptions licenses are suspended”, – the document says.
It is noted that the department is studying other measures aimed at eliminating differences in relations with Hong Kong and China.
Earlier, the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that Washington will stop supplying defense and dual-use products to Hong Kong on Monday.
The deputies of the All-China Assembly of People’s Representatives of the 13th convocation on May 28 adopted “the decision to create and improve the legal system and enforcement mechanisms to ensure national security in the special administrative region of Hong Kong”. The resolution delegated to the NPC Standing Committee the development of a national security bill specifically for Hong Kong. The bill, still at the proposal stage, caused a flurry of criticism and discontent among the Hong Kong anti-government forces and a number of Western officials who believe that it undermines the autonomy of the special administrative region.
The text of the bill clearly outlines the main obligations of the central government of China on issues related to national security, as well as Hong Kong’s constitutional responsibility for maintaining national security.
The bill outlines the rules regarding the prevention, suppression and punishment of four types of crimes committed in Hong Kong, including separatist activities, attempts to undermine state power, terrorist activities, conspiring with foreign states or forces located abroad to jeopardize national security.