US targeting of Hong Kong offices benefits no one

The U.S. Congress’ latest bill on Hong Kong, which targets the region’s representative offices in the United States, is pure political manipulation that will benefit no one.

The so-called Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Certification Act, recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, requires the U.S. President to remove the extension of certain privileges, exemptions and immunities to the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices (HKETO) “if Hong Kong no longer enjoys a high degree of autonomy from the People’s Republic of China.”

The bill is just another case of the United States politicizing normal economic and trade cooperation to badmouth and suppress China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). It is also another move of the United States to play the Hong Kong card to contain China.

The HKSAR government strongly condemned the act. The Chinese foreign ministry warned of resolute countermeasures if the U.S. side advances the egregious act. The United States has deliberately chosen to ignore the fact that the HKETOs in Washington, New York and San Francisco were established in the 1980s in accordance with laws. Since then, the offices have been dedicated to strengthening and broadening economic and trade ties between the two sides, and expanding cooperation in the cultural sector.

Last year alone, officials in the Washington office attended around 300 events, engaging with people from all walks of life in the American society.

The successful and lawful operations of the HKETOs have proved to be mutually beneficial for Hong Kong and the United States. Shutting down the offices will only undermine communication and exchange between the two sides, costing the U.S. society an important channel to learn about the Asian financial hub. Or, is the United States doing so intentionally to keep the American public in the dark about Hong Kong’s liveliness? If the offices are to be closed, it is bound to damage the relationship between the two sides, and in particular, harm America’s own interests.

Over the years, the offices have played a vital role in helping U.S. companies benefit from their economic and trade exchanges with Hong Kong. Statistics show that the United States enjoyed a cumulative trade surplus of up to 271.5 billion U.S. dollars with Hong Kong in the past decade. As of 2023, over 1,200 U.S. companies had set up businesses in Hong Kong.

The United States is wrong to think that it can contain Hong Kong by targeting the representative offices.

With Hong Kong’s security guaranteed and its business environment improved, the region has grown more and more attractive to international investors.

The World Competitiveness Yearbook 2024, published by the International Institute for Management Development, a business school headquartered in Switzerland, shows that Hong Kong’s competitiveness has climbed two places to rank fifth worldwide.

Earlier this year, a report from the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong indicated that nearly 80 percent of surveyed enterprises voiced trust in the rule of law in Hong Kong.

It is widely acknowledged that Hong Kong has a free, open and fine business environment. In the future, Hong Kong will only open its doors wider to the world, offering limitless business opportunities.

Any egregious moves by the United States aimed at slandering Hong Kong cannot stop the region from prospering in a law-based and increasingly open environment. Certainly, the United States playing the Hong Kong card will never succeed in containing China either.

Xinhua Commentary