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Related: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-officially-declares-that-hong-kong-is-no-longer-autonomous-11590596133?mod=hp_lead_pos2 https://www.wsj.com/articles/u

by kyrra 6y ago

Related: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-officially-declares-that-hong-kong-is-no-longer-autonomous-11590596133?mod=hp_lead_pos2 https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-officially-declares-that-ho... "U.S. Officially Declares That Hong Kong Is No Longer Autonomous WASHINGTON—The State Department has officially determined that Hong Kong is no longer autonomous from China, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement Wednesday that holds implications for the future of economic ties and could lead to sanctions against China. The State Department is required by the Hong Kong Policy Act to assess the autonomy of the territory from China. It certified to Congress on Thursday that Hong Kong is no longer autonomous."

smaili 6y ago
Besides sanctions, what other implications would this declaration realistically have?
- Kalium 6y ago
  Previously, Hong Kong had a status that let it trade with the US under terms very different from those mainland China is subject to. Clear consequences have not, as near as I can tell, be spelled out yet. The gist is that US trade policy will stop privileging HK. US/HK trade seems to be something like $66 Billion a year, so this is potentially a major thing.
- bigie35 6y ago
  It's going to devastate the Swiss watch industry which is already in rough shape from COVID. Hong Kong WAS their No. 1 market. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/11/fashion/watches-hong-kong-protests.html https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/11/fashion/watches-hong-kong...
  - av_engr 6y ago
    But the Swiss arm industry probably made some good fortune during the protest by exporting equipment to HK police.
Aunche 6y ago
Not that I disagree with the act, but I love how politicians are trying to frame destroying Hong Kong's economy as supporting "Human Rights and Democracy."
- ng12 6y ago
  In the post-nuclear world economic pressure is the only tool we have to deal with bad actors. It's why we sanction North Korea, Iran, and Russia.
  - Matticus_Rex 6y ago
    It's a very bad tool for that particular job, as we discovered in Iraq -- it hurts the most vulnerable members of the society, and does very little to the elites making the policies we don't like.
    - hker 6y ago
      In this case, sanctioning Hong Kong is part of sanctioning China, because it hinders technology transfer (eg to Huawei) and finance transfer (Hong Kong was previously not affected by trade tariffs on China, and has a huge stock market). It remains to be seen if sanctioning China (partially) could bring about political change, as CCP is endorsed within China mostly for economic growth in the past three decades.
    - firecall 6y ago
      True. But it's not the point; The intention is reduce the capabilities of the country as a global influence and generate internal state turmoil.
      - dnautics 6y ago
        After decades of sanctioning Libya the united states finally got what it wanted by decapitating the state with violence; one wonders (global political dynamics aside) if for the unfortunate citizens of Libya, it would have just have been better to have gotten it over with earlier.

by kyrra 6y ago

smaili 6y ago

Besides sanctions, what other implications would this declaration realistically have?

Kalium 6y ago
Previously, Hong Kong had a status that let it trade with the US under terms very different from those mainland China is subject to. Clear consequences have not, as near as I can tell, be spelled out yet. The gist is that US trade policy will stop privileging HK. US/HK trade seems to be something like $66 Billion a year, so this is potentially a major thing.
bigie35 6y ago
It's going to devastate the Swiss watch industry which is already in rough shape from COVID. Hong Kong WAS their No. 1 market. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/11/fashion/watches-hong-kong-protests.html https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/11/fashion/watches-hong-kong...
- av_engr 6y ago
  But the Swiss arm industry probably made some good fortune during the protest by exporting equipment to HK police.

Aunche 6y ago

Not that I disagree with the act, but I love how politicians are trying to frame destroying Hong Kong's economy as supporting "Human Rights and Democracy."

ng12 6y ago
In the post-nuclear world economic pressure is the only tool we have to deal with bad actors. It's why we sanction North Korea, Iran, and Russia.
- Matticus_Rex 6y ago
  It's a very bad tool for that particular job, as we discovered in Iraq -- it hurts the most vulnerable members of the society, and does very little to the elites making the policies we don't like.
  - hker 6y ago
    In this case, sanctioning Hong Kong is part of sanctioning China, because it hinders technology transfer (eg to Huawei) and finance transfer (Hong Kong was previously not affected by trade tariffs on China, and has a huge stock market). It remains to be seen if sanctioning China (partially) could bring about political change, as CCP is endorsed within China mostly for economic growth in the past three decades.
  - firecall 6y ago
    True. But it's not the point; The intention is reduce the capabilities of the country as a global influence and generate internal state turmoil.
    - dnautics 6y ago
      After decades of sanctioning Libya the united states finally got what it wanted by decapitating the state with violence; one wonders (global political dynamics aside) if for the unfortunate citizens of Libya, it would have just have been better to have gotten it over with earlier.