(Washington)—The Chairs of the bipartisan Congressional-Executive Commission on China, Representative Christoper Smith (R-NJ) and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) issued the following statement on the expected trial of Jimmy Lai and the sentencing of pro-democracy advocates commonly known as the “Hong Kong 47” (HK47).
“The expected trial of Jimmy Lai and sentencing of the HK47 advocates violates international law and must be widely condemned—including by the U.S. State Department. The Biden administration should levy sanctions on judges and prosecutors responsible for undermining democracy and human rights in Hong Kong.
“These politically motivated prosecutions are occurring at the same time that dozens of U.S. CEOs are being wined and dined by Hong Kong officials and urged to invest in Hong Kong. Each of these U.S. financial titans should be asked whether the Hong Kong government’s mass detentions of political prisoners and regular bulldozing of the rule of law undermine the city’s attractiveness as an international commercial and financial center.
“We also note the Hong Kong government’s ongoing efforts to suppress domestic and overseas dissent, relying on institutions such as the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) to surveil political activism and push Chinese government propaganda in the United States. We urge Congress to pass our Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Certification Act to potentially strip diplomatic immunities from HKETOs.”
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