The US Officially Revokes Hong Kong’s Special Status

US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross issued a statement advising China that America’s Hong Kong’s special status is officially revoked. 

“With the Chinese Communist Party’s imposition of new security measures on Hong Kong, the risk that sensitive U.S. technology will be diverted to the People’s Liberation Army or Ministry of State Security has increased, all while undermining the territory’s autonomy. Those are risks the U.S. refuses to accept and have resulted in the revocation of Hong Kong’s special status.”

As a result, the Commerce Department said that “regulations affording preferential treatment to Hong Kong over China, including the availability of export license exceptions, are suspended.”

Ross also said that “further actions to eliminate differential treatment are also being evaluated” and urged Beijing to “immediately reverse course and fulfill the promises it has made to the people of Hong Kong and the world.”