25 January 2023 – The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong (CFHK) Foundation has released a new report, A Policy Roadmap to Support the People of Hong Kong. Since July 2020, the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) implementation of the National Security Law has transformed Hong Kong’s political and business environment. Pro-democracy activists have been imprisoned, the rule of law has been dismantled, and the free press has been silenced.
The CFHK Foundation’s report analyzes how the US government and international community can respond to the CCP’s continued undermining of freedom in Hong Kong. The report outlines a three-pronged strategy that seeks accountability for CCP and Hong Kong officials responsible for deteriorating conditions in the city-state, support for people who remain in Hong Kong, and relief for those with no choice but to flee.
First, the report calls for US officials to sanction the CCP and Hong Kong authorities, and to punish individuals who evade those sanctions. The report also asks the US government to revoke the special privileges conferred to Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices and other Hong Kong bodies that are under the authoritarian government’s tightening grip.
Second, the report also encourages Members of Congress and the US Commission on International Religious Freedom to support individuals who remain in Hong Kong. This includes taking action to adopt political prisoners such as Jimmy Lai, promoting Cantonese language learning, and safeguarding information access in Hong Kong. Third, the report concludes by urging the US government to grant Priority-2 refugee status to Hong Kongers and to extend the Deferred Enforced Departure program beyond its February 2023 deadline.
The CFHK Foundation’s Washington Director and author of the report, Olivia Enos, said:
“2023 presents new opportunities for the US government to implement pro-Hong Kong policies. A plethora of tools are at the government’s disposal to take immediate action to hold the CCP accountable for its gross violation of human rights. There is plenty of work to do to protect those who remain in and those who have fled from Hong Kong for the sake of preserving freedom and democracy worldwide. Every day that the US Congress does not take action to safeguard Hong Kongers is another day that political prisoners remain in jail, freedom remains under threaten, and liberties are encroached upon. This is the year to take action.”