STATEMENT BY SECRETARY MICHAEL R. POMPEO

June 26, 2020

U.S. Department of State Imposes Visa Restrictions on Chinese Communist Party Officials for

Undermining Hong Kong’s High Degree of Autonomy and Restricting Human Rights

President Trump promised to punish the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials who were responsible for eviscerating Hong Kong’s freedoms. Today, we are taking action to do just that.

The CCP has stepped up efforts to undermine Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy by announcing Beijing’s authority to “supervise” Hong Kong’s governance, accusing at least one member of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council of misconduct, and moving to unilaterally and arbitrarily impose national security legislation on Hong Kong. Beijing’s continued actions undermine its commitments and obligations in the Sino-British Joint Declaration to respect Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy. At the same time, Beijing continues to undermine human rights and fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong by putting pressure on local authorities to arrest pro-democracy activists and disqualify pro-democracy electoral candidates.

Today, I am announcing visa restrictions on current and former CCP officials who are believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy, as guaranteed in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, or undermining human rights and fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong. Family members of such persons may also be subject to these restrictions.

The United States calls on China to honor its commitments and obligations in the Sino-British Joint Declaration – namely that Hong Kong will “enjoy a high degree of autonomy” and that human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly, will be protected by law and respected by governing authorities in Hong Kong. Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy and the full implementation of the Sino-British Joint Declaration, as well as respect for human rights, are of fundamental importance. The United States will continue to review its authorities to respond to these concerns.
特朗普总统（President Trump）曾承诺对中国共产党某些剥夺香港自由的官员进行惩罚。今天，我们特此采取行动。

中国共产党宣布北京有权对香港的管治实施“监督”，并对香港至少一名立法会议员提出行为不检的谴责，同时开始对香港单方面专横地强行实施国家安全法，进一步加强破坏香港高度自治的行为。北京继续采取的行动违背了在中英联合声明（Sino-British Joint Declaration）中关于尊重香港高度自治的承诺和义务。与此同时，北京对当地有关当局施加压力，要求逮捕民主派活动人士并取消民主派候选人的参选资格，继续破坏香港的人权和基本自由。

今天，我宣布对一些现任和前任中国共产党官员实施签证限制。据信这些官员从事或参与破坏1984年中英联合声明保障的香港高度自治或破坏香港人权和基本自由的行为。这些人员的家属也可能受到上述限制。

美国呼吁中国履行在中英联合声明中的承诺和义务，即香港将“享有高度自治”，同时保障人权和基本自由，包括表达的自由及和平集会的自由受到法律的保护和香港行政管理当局的尊重。香港的高度自治和全面执行中英联合声明以及尊重人权具有根本性的重要意义。美国将继续考虑根据既有授权对这些受到关注的问题做出反应。