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Suspension or Termination of Three Bilateral Agreements with Hong Kong
PRESS STATEMENT
MORGAN ORTAGUS, DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON
AUGUST 19, 2020
The Chinese Communist Party has taken drastic steps to erode the high degree of autonomy that Beijing itself promised to the United Kingdom and the people of Hong Kong for 50 years under the UN-registered Sino-British Joint Declaration. President Trump has made clear that the United States will, therefore, treat Hong Kong as “one country, one system” and take action against individuals who have crushed the freedoms of the people of Hong Kong.
The President’s Executive Order on Hong Kong Normalization (E.O. 13936) set forth a number of responses to Beijing’s actions, including suspending and eliminating preferential treatment for Hong Kong.
As part of the ongoing implementation measures, we notified the Hong Kong authorities on August 19 of our suspension or termination of three bilateral agreements. These agreements covered the surrender of fugitive offenders, the transfer of sentenced persons, and reciprocal tax exemptions on income derived from the international operation of ships.
These steps underscore our deep concern regarding Beijing’s decision to impose the National Security Law, which has crushed the freedoms of the people of Hong Kong.
