Correct, the US (and by extension its allies) considered Hong Kong separately from the rest of China in areas like export controls and trade tariffs.[1] China

Correct, the US (and by extension its allies) considered Hong Kong separately from the rest of China in areas like export controls and trade tariffs.[1] China took full advantage of this, and the US is probably betting that revoking this special status hurts China more than it hurts the US. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States%E2%80%93Hong_Kong_Policy_Act https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States%E2%80%93Hong_Kon...