US House Foreign Affairs Committee marks up bill to review the status of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices
Today, the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee marked-up H.R. 1103, which requires the President to remove the extension of certain privileges, exemptions, and immunities to the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices if Hong Kong no longer enjoys a high degree of autonomy from the People’s Republic of China.
The markup of H.R.1103 means the bill introduced by Rep Chris Smith and Rep Jim McGovern will now be considered for a time slot to be debated and voted on in the US House of Representatives.
The original bill was introduced by Senator Marco Rubio and Congressman Chris Smith in the last Congress back in December 2022 and followed recommendations from the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission for the status of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices to be reviewed in its annual report to Congress in November 2022.
On 13 October 2022, Hong Kong Watch released original research into the role and privileges of Hong Kong Economy and Trade Offices globally. The report recommended that governments review the diplomatic status of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices and consider rebranding them as part of the Chinese Embassy following the introduction of the National Security Law.
Commenting on the mark-up of H.R. 1103, Anouk Wear, Hong Kong Watch’s USA Research and Policy Advisor, said:
“We welcome the decision by the House Foreign Affairs Committee to mark-up H.R.1103 and hope that the leadership of both parties will prioritize this important bill to be debated and voted on in the US House of Representatives.
Given that the draconian National Security Law has deprived the Hong Kong Government along with the Hong Kong people of their autonomy, there is little logical reason for Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices to continue to be afforded diplomatic status, and a review of their status is absolutely necessary.
We urge the Administration to review the status of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices in the USA – which increasingly act as additional Chinese Embassies – and to call out their activities which actively promote disinformation regarding the ongoing human rights crackdown in Hong Kong.
We also encourage like-minded partners including Canada, UK, Germany, and the European Union, to do the same, for the same important reasons as the USA.”
香港監察歡迎美國眾議院外委會通過香港經貿辦法案 繼續促請各國政府檢視經貿辦地位
美國眾議院外交委員會昨天通過《香港經濟貿易辦事處認證法案》（Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) Certification Act，又稱《H. R. 1103法案》），要求美國總統在香港不再享有高度自治的情況下，撤銷賦予香港經濟貿易辦事處（經貿辦）的特權、豁免權和外交豁免權。
法案獲通過意味着共和黨眾議員Chris Smith和民主黨眾議員Jim McGovern提出的法案現將排期在美國眾議院辯論及投票。
原始法案由參議員Marco Rubio和眾議員Chris Smith於2022年12月上屆國會提出，當中採納了美中經濟暨安全檢討委員會（US-China Economic and Security Review Commission）2022年11月致美國國會年度報告提出審視香港經貿辦地位的建議。
香港監察早於2022年10月13日發表原創研究報告，析述香港駐海外經貿辦的作用和特權。鑒於中國在香港強推《國家安全法》，報告建議各國政府審視香港經貿辦的外交地位，並考慮視其為中國大使館。
就《香港經濟貿易辦事處認證法案》獲通過，香港監察美國研究及政策顧問Anouk Wear 華穆清表示：
「我們歡迎美國眾議院外交委員會通過《H. R. 1103法案》，並且希望兩黨領導層優先將這項重要法案呈上眾議院辯論及投票。
鑒於國安苛法剝奪了香港政府和香港人的自治權，香港經貿辦繼續享有外交地位實在於理不合，審視其地位絕對必要。
我們促請美國政府檢視香港駐美經貿辦的地位，這些經貿辦愈來愈與中國大使館無異，並譴責其積極散播有關香港持續打壓人權的假資訊行為。
我們亦鼓勵加拿大、英國、德國和歐盟等志同道合的夥伴以與美國相同的重要原因為由，採取同樣行動。」