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Protesters took to the streets in Hong Kong carying dozens flags of the United States and that of the President Donald Trump in a thanksgiving rally as they expressed appriciations to the American authorities for their supports for the pro-democracy protersters in the region.
They gather for a Thanksgiving rally on Nov. 28, 2019, in the Central district of Hong Kong to commemorate President Trump signing the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act into law
US president while signing the bills said he did so out of respect for President Xi, China and the people of Hong Kong. “They are being enacted in the hope that leaders and representatives of China and Hong Kong will be able to amicably settle their differences leading to long-term peace and prosperity for all.”
Beijing was infruated at the US move, calling the actions of the America illegal.
China urged the United States not to implement the passed bill as it may impacted the ongoing trade deal negetively.
The crowd waved banners bearing the protest slogan: “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times.”
“I guess Trump wanted to give us a Thanksgiving present, and we’re glad to accept,” said Wong Yiu-chung, a professor of politics at Lingnan University in Hong Kong who was attending the rally with his wife.
Wong said Trump probably signed the bill for his own benefit. “But sometimes interests coincide,” he said. “This act gives us a lot of hope.”
Trump signed the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act into law on Wednesday, mandating an annual review of whether Hong Kong retains enough autonomy to justify its special trade status with the United States.
Chinese officials fired off a flurry of angry statements Thursday, condemning the new law as an act of foreign intervention aimed at containing China’s growth and “an epitome of gangster violence,” in the words of the Chinese Foreign Ministry Commissioner’s Office in Hong Kong.
“Facts have proven that the United States is the biggest culprit in disrupting Hong Kong,” said the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of China’s State Council in a statement, which said “all Chinese, including Hong Kong people” were against the act.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the U.S. ambassador to China and suggested coming retaliation in a statement: “We urge the U.S. to not continue going down the wrong path, or China will take countermeasures, and the U.S. must bear all consequences,” it said.
But China’s options for retaliation beyond rhetoric are limited, in part because Beijing badly wants and needs a trade deal.
“It is threatening to cut off U.S. leaders like Nancy Pelosi from visiting or doing business in China,” Ku said, “but she doesn’t visit or do business in China much anyway.”
China could also target U.S. companies seen as supporting Hong Kong protests or refuse to make trade concessions, but both are actions China was already taking.
Chinese state media outlets were careful to blame members of Congress rather than President Trump for the law. The Global Times, a hawkish state-run publication, cited several Chinese academics implying Trump had no choice but to sign the bill.
“Trump lacks the political power to veto the bill,” one said. “Trump is dissatisfied with politicians in Congress,” said another. The state-run People’s Daily wrote that “the U.S. Congress, full of evil intentions, is trying to stir up troubles” and that “some American politicians” were trying to destabilize Hong Kong.
Wang Yong, professor of international studies at Peking University, said the focus on Congress rather than Trump was a sign of Chinese authorities’ desire to leave space for a trade deal despite political tensions over China’s policies in Xinjiang and Hong Kong.
“China will try not to let the Hong Kong problem and other tensions affect the trade deal. They try to handle it by separate tracks,” he said. “Right now the leaders, including Chinese leaders and Trump and negotiators, all have this way of thinking — to keep trade separate from politics.... China will keep trying to make a deal.”
Wang also agreed that the new act was mostly symbolic, which meant China was also unlikely to take real retaliatory action against the U.S.
What’s more likely is that Beijing will take out its anger on Hong Kong, enforcing stricter control over policies, trying to change the education system and pushing for stronger national security laws, as called for in a recent meeting of the Communist Party’s Central Committee.
That sets the stage for further conflict, as newly emboldened protesters, backed up by Western support, face off with a hardened Chinese leadership.
Thursday’s rally was peaceful but ended in clashes again as dozens of riot police appeared at the rally’s exit route. Rally attendees shouted at the police, who then charged and arrested at least one person and injured at least one other.
“Enforcement of the act can’t come soon enough,” said pro-democracy legislator Ray Chan. “With sanctions in place, the police will no longer act with impunity.”
Chan said he hoped other countries including the United Kingdom and Canada and members of the European Union would introduce their own versions of the law.
“They send a strong signal that Hong Kongers are not alone,” he said.
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