Bipartisan U.S. concern over the discord in Hong Kong is growing, as the State Department on Wednesday issued a travel warning for the region and expressed support for pro-democracy demonstrators there.
The bipartisan leaders of the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday condemned Chinese authorities’ hostility to protesters and threats of military intervention in a joint statement, warning that should Beijing attempt to use force to shut down peaceful demonstrations, they “would be met with universal condemnation and swift consequences.”
“The House Foreign Affairs Committee has called upon Beijing to cease encroaching on Hong Kong’s autonomy — it is Beijing’s actions that are at the root of the frustration among the people of Hong Kong. No foreign powers are fomenting this dissent,” Chairman Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) and ranking member Michael McCaul (R-Texas) wrote. “It is the result of Beijing’s successive violations of their commitment to honor the will of the people of Hong Kong.”
Engel and McCaul expressed their “deep respect for the brave efforts of Hong Kong people from every walk of life who have demonstrated their clear desire for freedom, democracy, and the rule of law.”
Separately, the State Department on Wednesday issued a travel advisory for Hong Kong due to the unrest, instructing travelers to exercise increased caution.
“Police have used a variety of crowd control measures, including the deployment of tear gas. The protests and confrontations have spilled over into neighborhoods other than those where the police have permitted marches or rallies,” the notice reads.
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Satellite images have emerged purporting to show Chinese troops gathering near the border with Hong Kong, raising worries of a potential violent conflict. Lawmakers have compared the simmering tensions to the 1989 massacre of hundreds of peaceful protesters in Tiananmen Square, warning against a repeat.
A State spokesperson said Wednesday that the department was “deeply concerned” by reports of military movement along the border.
The State Department urged Beijing to abide by its commitments under the treaty that created the “one country, two system” administrative structure that governs Hong Kong. “We encourage China and all parties in Hong Kong to pursue a solution that respects the liberty of Hongkongers and Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy, as enshrined in the Sino-British Joint Declaration,” the spokesperson said.
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Bipartisan U.S. concern over the discord in Hong Kong is growing https://t.co/dTENvGqXLm
— POLITICO (@politico) August 14, 2019
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