US National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien (L, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin (R) look on as US President Donald Trump turns away from the podium after speaking on China in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, DC on May 29, 2020. (AFP photo)
The bill unanimously passed by the US Senate on Thursday to punish government and CPC officials who back efforts to protect Hong Kong's special status is little more than a futile attempt to rile China. The measure is designed to push back at Beijing's new security law for the territory which is meant to restore peace and tranquility to the special administrative region (SAR).
Photos and video footage showing protesters parading with American and British colonial flags, attacking police with petrol bombs and other lethal weapons, destroying businesses and assaulting citizens who display loyalty to China, belie the supposedly peaceful intents of the protests.
The Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR stipulates that a national security law be enacted, but it has been repeatedly stymied by political infighting in Hong Kong. Without such a law unlawful activities have proliferated and calls for secession have mounted in some quarters. These subversive activities have been supported by external interference in the city's affairs by foreign agents from the US, Taiwan, and the UK.
China practices a policy of "one nation, two systems" as regards the Hong Kong SAR. First and foremost is the safeguarding of one nation. It is the basis of the pledge to support "two systems." It is perfectly legitimate for the PRC to combat anything that threatens Chinese sovereignty over Hong Kong. If foreign powers want to protect the "one nation, two systems" policy they should support, not penalize China's efforts. Their refusal to do so shows their complete lack of sincerity.
Critics say the law will crush Hong Kong's most coveted freedoms, but that isn't true. It is not meant to quash legitimate dissent, but no nation can countenance calls for secession or independence of its sovereign territory, especially when those calls are backed by a foreign adversary.
The US bill would slap mandatory sanctions on people or companies who back the national security law, including visa restrictions on Chinese officials. Other provisions penalize banks that do business with anyone found to be backing it. It could potentially cut these companies off from American counterparts and limit their access to US dollar transactions. The restrictions on visas are of little importance as there is no reason for the Chinese government or CPC officials to travel to the US under present circumstances. The sanctions against banks and other institutions are counterproductive and will hurt US business operations in Hong Kong as much as or more so than their Chinese counterparts.
The Hong Kong Autonomy Act must now pass the House and be signed into law by Trump. Previous bills sanctioning China, such as the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act, were signed by Trump with an accompanying Signing Statement in which he reserved the right not to implement it. The same will most likely apply to this latest piece of sham legislation. It is meant for show and nothing more.
Meanwhile, the National Security Law is already having a positive effect. Attendance and enthusiasm for protests have diminished significantly. A poll conducted for Reuters shows support for the protests has slipped from 58 percent in March to a slim majority of 51 percent. The US will use the situation in Hong Kong which it helped instigate to further pillory China. But its neo-colonial tricks will come to naught.
Dennis Etler is an American political analyst who has a decades-long interest in international affairs. He’s a former professor of Anthropology at Cabrillo College in Aptos, California. He recorded this article for Press TV website.
MY TESTIMONY ON HOW MY HUSBAND WAS RESTORE BACK TO ME AFTER BEING UNDER A SPELL FOR SOME MONTHS,BUT DR OKOSUN A GREAT SPELL CASTER WAS A ABLE TO RESTORE HIM BACK TO ME.
ReplyDeleteI want to thank Dr okosun a very powerful spell caster who help me to bring my husband back to me, few month ago i have a serious problem with my husband, to the extend that he left the house, and he started dating another woman and he stayed with the woman, i tried all i can to bring him back, but all my effort was useless until the day my friend cameto my house and i told her every thing that had happened between me and my husband, then she told me of a powerful spell caster who help her when she was in the same problem I then contact Dr okosun and told him every thing and he told me not to worry my self again that my husband will come back to me after he has cast a spell on him, i thought it was a joke, after he had finish casting the spell, he told me that he had just finish casting the spell, to my greatest surprise within 48 hours, my husband really came back begging me to forgive him, if you need his help you can contact him with via email: (drokosun12@gmial.com),or via WhatsApp (+2348136785562)