US Secretary of State Pompeo accuses Hong Kong version of National Security Act - "The bell of death"

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

ポンペオ米国務長官、香港版国家安全法の提案を非難　「死を告げる鐘」

2020.05.23 Sat posted at 13:00 JST

（ＣＮＮ） ポンペオ米国務長官は２２日、中国政府が香港版国家安全法の制定を全国人民代表大会（全人代、国会に相当）に提案したことについて、香港の自治に「死を告げる鐘」になると非難した。

ポンペオ氏は声明で、「中英連合声明と香港基本法の下で保証された香港の自治と自由を侵害するような決定を下せば、一国二制度と香港の地位に関するわれわれの評価に影響が及ぶことは避けられない」と述べた。

香港版国家安全法は扇動や国家分裂、中央政府の転覆を禁じる内容になるとみられている。今年の全人代で導入が決まる予定。

ポンペオ氏は中国政府に対し「破滅的な提案を再考し、国際的な義務を順守して、高度な自治と民主制度、市民の自由を尊重するよう強く求める」と要請。自治などの尊重は米国法上、香港の「特別な地位」を維持するうえで重要な判断材料だと指摘した。

新型コロナウイルスの世界的な流行が続くなか、米中間では言葉の応酬が激しさを増している。トランプ政権はこれまで、中国が初期段階での透明性の確保を怠ったと非難してきた。

香港は一国二制度の下、中国政府の管轄下にありながら一定の民主主義や市民的自由を保持する。米国との間でも通商上の特別な地位を有しており、中国本土には認められない一定の例外的措置が適用されている。

米国では昨年、香港の民主派デモを支持する「香港人権民主法」が議会を通過し、トランプ大統領の署名で成立した。同法の下、米国は香港の自治が維持されているか毎年検証して議会に報告する必要があり、自治が不十分と判断された場合、香港は特別な地位を失う可能性がある。

Translation

 (CNN) US Secretary of State Pompeo on the 22nd accused the proposal of the Chinese government to enact a Hong Kong version of the National Security Law at the National People's Congress (NPC, equivalent to the Diet), as it would become a "bell of death" on the autonomy of Hong Kong

In a statement, Pompeo said, "If you made a decision to violate Hong Kong's autonomy and freedom guaranteed under the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Hong Kong Basic Law, unavoidably it will affect our assessment of the One-Country-Two-Systems and also Hong Kong’s status."

The Hong Kong version of the National Security Law was expected to prohibit incitement and state division, and the subversion of central government. The introduction would be decided in this year's NPC.

Pompeo requested the Chinese government to "rethink its catastrophic proposals, comply with international obligations, and strongly urging respects for a high level of autonomy and democratic system, and the freedom of the people." He pointed out that a respect for autonomy was an important factor in maintaining Hong Kong’s "special position” under US laws.

 In face of the current global epidemic of the new coronavirus, the exchange of words had  become more intense between the US and China, and the Trump administration had accused China of failing to ensure its transparency at an early stage.

Hong Kong held a certain degree of democracy and civil liberties under the jurisdiction of the Chinese government under the One-country-Two-systems. It also had a special trading position with the United States, allowed with certain exceptional measures not made available to mainland China.

In the United States last year its congress had passed the "Hong Kong Human Rights Democratic Law" which supported Hong Kong's democratic demonstrations that was signed by President Trump. Under the law, the United States had to annually verify whether Hong Kong's autonomy was maintained and report this to the congress. If it was determined that the autonomy was inadequate, Hong Kong might lose its special status.

              So, the USA is giving out a warning to China that Hong Kong’s special trading relationship with the United States could be lost if Hong Kong’s autonomy is eroded.