Both right wings of the US one-party state are pushing things toward rupturing relations with China, risking direct confrontation.
The so-called Hong Kong Autonomy Act (HKAA) is the latest shoe to drop.
Unanimously approved by the Senate on Thursday, it’s virtually certain to be adopted by House members and become US law.
China’s new national security law, that’s all about protecting its sovereign territory (including Hong Kong) from hostile and/or intrusive actions by foreign powers, is the contrived pretext for the measure.
It’s the latest US action in waging longstanding war on China by other means that could turn hot if pushed too far.
China grants a degree of local autonomy to Hong Kong and Macau that’s similar to what US states are afforded by constitutional law.
China’s new national security law aims to counter hostile US interference in its internal affairs, what’s gone on for decades.
Things notably escalated in recent years, including efforts to undermine China’s economic, industrial, and technological development, along with months of made-in-the-USA disruptive Hong Kong protests that featured violence and vandalism — aiming to weaken the country by attacking its soft underbelly.
Introduced by US neocon Senators Chris Van Hollen and Pat Toomey, the unacceptable HKAA “would impose mandatory sanctions on entities that violate China’s obligations to Hong Kong.”
It “would also impose mandatory secondary sanctions on banks that do business” with sanctioned entities.
A statement by Van Hollen defied reality, saying:
“Today (June 25), the Senate took meaningful action to hold China and its proxies to account for their ongoing efforts to extinguish liberty and democracy in Hong Kong (sic),” adding:
“This legislation sends a strong, bipartisan message that the United States stands with the people of Hong Kong (sic).”
Toomey made similar remarks, defying reality the same way.
Fact: The US is hostile to what democracy is supposed to be all about.
Fact: Prohibited domestically, only its illusion exists.
Fact: Both right wings of the US one-party state go all out to extinguish it wherever it exists.
Model social democracy Venezuela is Exhibit A — under attack by the US from inception, greatly escalated by Trump regime hardliners.
Fact: Longstanding US policy is hostile to ordinary people everywhere — at home and abroad worldwide, wanting them exploited, not served.
The HKAA also requires the US Treasury secretary to be involved in designating individuals to be sanctioned under the measure.
A similar House bill was introduced by Reps. Brad Sherman and Ted Yho.
A reconciled version of the measure may be included in the FY 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that’s automatically passed overwhelmingly and signed into law annually.
Last November, Congress adopted the so-called Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019 by voice vote.
At the time, China’s official People’s Daily broadsheet slammed the unacceptable measure, saying it’s all about legislating support for (CIA recruited) hooligans involved in months of violence, vandalism and chaos in Hong Kong.
China’s Global Times called the measure the “Support KH Violence Act,” siding with rioters against the rule of law and rights of all city residents, opposing efforts by Hong Kong authorities to restore order.
The HKAA mandates imposition of sanctions on China by the White House — with latitude to waive them under undefined circumstances.
Trump so far imposed no sanctions on China based on the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act.
It’s unclear if he’ll use the HKAA for this purpose. Eager to save the bilateral trade agreement, already jeopardized by unacceptable US actions, he may hold off pushing the envelope further against China.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the Trump regime objects to the HKAA’s call for mandatory sanctions on China because “it could hobble (its) ability to conduct diplomacy with (its ruling authorities) and give Congress too much power over foreign relations,” citing unnamed White House and business officials, adding:
“Still, they say, the bill’s fine print provides the White House with some flexibility in how those sanctions are levied, assuaging some (of its) concerns.”
At the same time, a provision in the measure empowers Congress to override the White House by a joint resolution of disapproval against waiving or ending sanctions on China.
It also calls for letting Hong Kong residents emigrate to the US.
In response to the measure, spokeswoman for China’s Washington embassy Fang Hong said “Hong Kong affairs are China’s domestic affairs that allow no external interference,” adding:
“We urge the US side to come to terms with the reality, and immediately stop meddling with Hong Kong affairs and China’s domestic affairs as a whole before it is too late.”
She warned of unspecified “necessary countermeasures” in response to hostile US actions that continue with no end of them in prospect.
A Final Comment
On Thursday, Pompeo called for a US/EU partnership to “challenge…the threat (posed by) China (sic),” adding:
“(T)he (PLA) continue(s) aggression in the South China Sea (sic).”
He falsely blamed Beijing for “deadly border confrontations in India,” called its nuclear program “opaque,” and defied reality by accusing its ruling authorities of “threats against peaceful neighbors (sic).”
He piled on numerous other false accusations, ignoring US wars by hot and other means against virtually all independent nations unwilling to sacrifice their sovereign rights to US interests, along with major human and civil rights abuses domestically.
Washington’s aim to dominate other nations by whatever it takes to achieve its aims is an unparalleled threat to everyone everywhere.
Its war on humanity risks eventual use of thermonukes that if detonated in enough numbers could destroy planet earth and all its life forms.
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Award-winning author Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at [email protected]. He is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG)
His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”
http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.
