The U.S. Abandons Hong Kong’s Fight for Independence: A Closer Look

Six years ago, the United States took a firm stance on Hong Kong’s autonomy. Beijing’s national security law ended Hong Kong’s “one country, two systems” framework, effectively ending many freedoms. In response, President Trump signed Executive Order 13936.

The order declared a national emergency, removing Hong Kong’s special trade and export-control status. It paved the way for sanctions against officials dismantling the city’s freedoms. Recently, this stance softened. On July 14, the national emergency lapsed quietly. There was no White House announcement or explanation, just silence. Beijing, not Washington, broke the news first. China’s Ministry of Commerce announced the change on July 17, claiming it fulfilled U.S. commitments from trade talks in Madrid. The Treasury Department confirmed the decision but provided no details.

This shift has real impacts. Sanctions relief now applies to nine officials responsible for suppressing Hong Kong’s freedoms. Among them are Justice Secretary Paul Lam and National Security Department Chief Sonny Au. These officials have enforced laws that jailed activists and closed newsrooms. They even froze assets of publisher Jimmy Lai, a British citizen.

There’s potential for Hong Kong to regain its special trade status. However, this change doesn’t reflect improvements. This year saw new national-security laws in Hong Kong. Officials expanded their power, criminalizing refusals to provide passwords to police. The city’s leader can now decide any legal case as a national-security matter, beyond judicial review. Asset seizures targeting dissidents abroad persist. The original order aimed to address an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to Hong Kong’s autonomy. The threat remains, but Washington’s response has changed.

The lapse in U.S. policy affects more than sanctions. It impacts thousands of Hong Kongers now in the U.S., many fleeing the crackdown. They came hoping America stood as a refuge against a government targeting critics worldwide. Washington’s silence signals that the U.S. may not protect them as expected. Hong Kong authorities offer bounties for pro-democracy activists overseas. Their campaigns reach communities in places like Melbourne, London, and the U.S. Such families need reassurance, not silence, from Washington.

This decision doesn’t stem from Hong Kong’s improvements. It likely resulted from trade concessions, agreed upon in secret, and confirmed by Beijing. Halting the national emergency aids the Chinese Communist Party and offers them an undeserved victory. The American public and Congress deserve answers.

What exactly did the U.S. gain from Beijing? Were human rights concerns ever considered, or did Hong Kong become a mere bargaining chip? Congress should not accept silence. They can pursue hearings, request documents, and use their oversight on U.S.-China policy. Lawmakers from both sides supported Hong Kong’s rights acts to separate human rights from trade. This principle needs defending now.

The administration must reconsider its decision, maintaining sanctions on Hong Kong officials who erode judicial independence and civil liberties. Hong Kong’s people, including judges removed and journalists forced into exile or incarceration, deserve better. They did not choose this retreat by America. At the very least, they deserve an honest explanation.

Megan Khoo is the policy director at Hong Kong Watch.

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