U.S. Consul Responds to Chinese Diplomat Warning About Crossing Political ‘Red Lines’

On Feb. 23, Liu Guangyuan, China’s foreign ministry commissioner in Hong Kong, met with U.S. Consul General Gregory May to complain about his “inappropriate words and deeds that interfered in Hong Kong affairs,” according to a spokesperson for the commissioner’s office. During the meeting, Commissioner Liu stated “three red lines” that the U.S. consulate should not cross, namely endangering “China’s national security, not to engage in political interference in Hong Kong, and not to slander or damage Hong Kong’s development prospect,” according to a statement provided. A spokesperson for the U.S. Consulate said that while they don’t generally comment on private diplomatic meetings, they don’t “hesitate to express publicly and privately the United States’ deep concern over the erosion of Hong Kong’s autonomy,” according to a statement provided to media outlets. The U.S. and Hong Kong relationship has remained tense following the enactment of the national security law, which was used to depress freedom of the press and people’s expression. In response to the law, the U.S. rolled back some of the special privileges granted to Hong Kong, making it harder to export sensitive American technology to Hong Kong. It sanctioned senior officials who oversee the territory, including its now-leader John Lee. Chief Executive Lee was among 11 Beijing and Hong Kong officials sanctioned by Washington in 2020 amid accusations they had set out to “undermine Hong Kong’s autonomy and restrict the freedom of expression or assembly of the citizens of Hong Kong” after the imposition of the national security law. Since the establishment of the National Security Law (NSL), many Hong Kong people have felt threatened because the political red line is not so clear. Also, since the CCP implemented the NSL in Hong Kong in 2020, the cases related to HKNSL are all handled by designated national security law judges appointed by the Chief Executive, and the court upholds the decision for no jury at national security trials. On Jan. 25, Gregory May, who took up his post in Hong Kong in September 2022, expressed concern over the city’s rule of law following Beijing’s imposition of a national security law in 2020. At the time, the foreign ministry of CCP accused May of vilifying the city’s legal system and seeking to disrupt the city. Attending a virtual seminar by Washington-based think tank the Centre for Strategic and International Studies last month, May said Beijing’s recent interpretation of the national security law “could further undermine the independence of Hong Kong’s judiciary system.” He said more than 15,000 American citizens left Hong Kong and moved to other cities in the past two years. He told delegates that Hong Kong’s legal system was threatened by the mainland. He said Beijing’s recent interpretation of the national security law ‘could further undermine the independence of Hong Kong’s judiciary system.” He also accused the Hong Kong government of curtailing press freedoms since the enactment of the NSL imposed in response to the 2019 anti-government protests. He expressed concern over diminished freedoms in Hong Kong and said its reputation as a business center depended on adherence to international standards and the rule of law. On Feb. 17, the U.S. proposed a bill to close Hong Kong’s economic and trade offices in America if the White House decided Beijing had undermined the city’s self-governance.