US bipartisan lawmakers named and urged sanctions against 27 Chinese and Hong Kong officials, including prosecutors and judges

The two chairmen of the U.S. Congressional committees responsible for China affairs issued a joint letter on Wednesday (17th) , urging U.S. Secretary of State Blinken and Treasury Secretary Yellen to impose sanctions on 27 Chinese and Hong Kong officials, prosecutors and judges in response to the Hong Kong government's passage of Article 23 of the Basic Law and the conviction of the defendants in the "47 Case".

Those who signed the joint statement include John Moolenaar , chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, Raja Krishnamoorthi , a senior member of the committee , and Chris Smith, chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China ( CECC ), and Jeff Merkley , co-chair of the committee , including members of both the House and Senate from the Democratic and Republican parties.

US congressman: Hong Kong government is under the control of the Chinese Communist Party and is intensifying its suppression of Hong Kong

In the letter, they expressed their concern about the Hong Kong government's further erosion of Hong Kong's democracy, rule of law and human rights, and specifically mentioned the National Security Ordinance (commonly known as "Article 23 of the Basic Law ") passed in March this year, as well as the conviction of 14 people who refused to plead guilty in the " 47 Case" at the end of May : "These actions by the Hong Kong authorities are of great significance, representing their efforts to undermine Hong Kong's autonomy and suppress dissent at the request of the Chinese Communist Party. The escalation of the process."

The letter criticized the broad definition of crimes in Article 23 of the Basic Law, which further infringed on civil liberties. The convicted 47 people were convicted of "conspiracy to subvert state power" simply for participating in informal primary elections, and some of them faced life imprisonment, which was "deeply disturbing". The signatories believed that the US government should take decisive action to support Hong Kong's autonomy and the civil rights of Hong Kong people.

Calls for sanctions to be expanded to include Hong Kong judges and prosecutors by the end of July   

In response to the ruling of the " 47 Persons Case" at the end of May this year , the US government imposed visa restrictions on Chinese and Hong Kong officials involved in the National Security Law trials and convictions. However, the signatories believe that this is not enough and urge the US government to enforce the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, the Hong Kong Autonomy Act and Executive Order No. 13936 to hold accountable individuals who erode Hong Kong's rule of law, democracy and violate human rights.

The lawmakers urged the U.S. State Department and Treasury Department to determine whether the 27 Chinese and Hong Kong officials meet the sanctions criteria of the above laws before July 30 , 2024. The lawmakers believe that the U.S. sanctions will send a clear signal: the United States firmly supports Hong Kong people in their struggle for democracy and human rights, and will hold those who violate human rights accountable.

The 27 people named include seven senior officials , including Hong Kong's Secretary for Justice Lam Ting-kwok, Director of the Central National Security Office in Hong Kong Tung King-wai, and Hong Kong Police Commissioner Raymond Siu , as well as 11 judges including Hong Kong's Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal Andrew Cheung and Magistrate Albert So Wai-tak , and nine prosecutors.

Advocate: Let the government prepare for sentencing of the " 47 Case" before the US Congress takes its summer break

Guo Fengyi, executive director of the Hong Kong Democracy Council, an advocacy organization for Hong Kong people in the United States , told this station that the Hong Kong court is expected to sentence the defendants in the " 47- person case" in the next few months, and the US Congress will also be in recess in August. If the Hong Kong government takes the opportunity to "surprise" sentence in August , the US State Department may not have time to react. Therefore, the two congressional committees are reminding the government to be prepared and take sanctions immediately after the sentence of the " 47- person case" is announced, otherwise it will send a dangerous message to China, believing that the US government is unmoved by the " 47- person case".

“Incorporate the Hong Kong issue into the US presidential election discussion”

Guo Fengyi analyzed that another important factor is the US presidential election. Amid a series of events such as the shooting of Republican candidate Trump and the pressure on Biden, who is seeking re-election, to withdraw from the election due to internal Democratic Party pressure, the attention of senior officials of US government agencies is focused on the presidential election. Therefore, the two congressional committees hope to make the Hong Kong issue receive the attention of officials and include the Hong Kong issue in the discussion of the presidential election.

Guo Fengyi said: "At this time, the two committees, which are also bipartisan and bipartisan committees, have made such a strong statement, asking different people to pay attention to the Hong Kong issue. In fact, it has also added a layer of discussion to the US presidential election, that is, the Hong Kong issue also needs to be included in the discussion of the presidential election between the two parties."

She said that the committee's letter would show the US government that the Hong Kong issue was receiving sustained attention. Based on past experience, after the congressional committee sent such letters, the US State Department would proactively contact members of Congress, who would then have the opportunity to reflect their opinions to Congress, thereby opening up discussions on the Hong Kong issue.

In a written response to our inquiry, Xu Yingting, policy and advocacy specialist at the Hong Kong Freedom Commission Foundation, a US-based organization, welcomed the bipartisan members of the two US Congressional China Commissions joining forces again and calling for sanctions against officials and judicial personnel who persecute Hong Kong freedom defenders.

“All of the individuals named have a history of colluding with the Hong Kong government, manipulating evidence to obtain convictions, and issuing outrageous sentences that undermine the rule of law,” Hui said. “I have repeatedly reiterated that the U.S. government must enforce U.S. law and impose sanctions on these individuals in response to the passage of Article 23 of the Basic Law, the ongoing trials of pro-democracy activists, and last year’s bounty on Hong Kongers overseas.”

The Hong Kong government issued a statement on Thursday ( 18th ) , "strongly condemning" the "false and slanderous remarks" made by two US Congressional committees on the legislation of Article 23 of the Basic Law and Hong Kong's work to safeguard national security; it also pointed out that the two committees asked the US government to impose "so-called sanctions" on SAR government officials, judges, prosecutors and police officers, which was "malicious slander and despicable intimidation" against the relevant personnel.