Washington, D.C. – Representatives Gregory W. Meeks (NY-D), Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Michael McCaul (TX-R), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Ami Bera (CA-D), Chair of the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia, and Nonproliferation, Steve Chabot (OH-R), Ranking member of the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia, and Nonproliferation, Tom Malinowski (NJ-D), and Adam Kinzinger (IL-R) introduced H. Res 130, a bipartisan resolution condemning the continued violation of the rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
Since imposing sweeping national security legislation on Hong Kong on July 1, 2020, Beijing and the HKSAR government have further eroded the city’s high degree of autonomy and smothered its vibrant democracy. The oppressive, intentionally vague law has been weaponized to target pro-democracy activists and legislators and undermined the city’s independent judicial system.
“The people of Hong Kong have spent years fighting to protect the freedoms they were promised under the Joint Declaration and the Basic Law,” said Rep. Meeks. “I support their efforts to preserve their democracy and I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress and the Biden Administration to hold the PRC and HKSAR governments accountable for their abuses against Hong Kongers.”
“Since enacting its national security law and ending Hong Kong’s autonomy, the Chinese Communist Party has confirmed the world’s worst fears: mass arrests, the ejection of pro-democracy legislators, arbitrary internet blockages, and the criminalization of fundamental human rights have, sadly, become the new normal,” said Rep. McCaul. “With this Resolution, the Committee is making a strong bipartisan statement that we are committed to bring accountability for the CCP’s violations of international commitments to Hong Kong’s autonomy and democracy.”
Members of Congress have consistently demonstrated bipartisan, bicameral support for the people of Hong Kong in their struggle to protect their civil liberties and freedoms. In light of the PRC and HKSAR governments’ relentless attack on the Hong Kong peoples’ rights, this resolution condemns Beijing for blatantly violating its binding international commitments under the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration and urges the Biden Administration to take further actions to stand in solidarity with the people of Hong Kong.
Specifically, this resolution builds on Congress’s previous work and encourages the administration to work with allies and partner countries to hold the PRC accountable through multilateral fora and ensure that the private sector is aware of the risks the national security legislation poses to U.S. security, citizens, and long-term business interests.
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