Sanctions on HK will hurt US

June 2, 2020

Chief Executive Carrie Lam:
There is simply no justification whatsoever for any government, any economy to impose sanctions on Hong Kong as a result of a very legitimate process of the central government, central authorities taking this decision to enact laws for Hong Kong to better protect national security. But for the time being, I have not seen or heard any details from the US administration. So I could not really comment on that. 

What I have done, in our government press releases and just now, is to point out. So my stance is I point out to the American authorities rather than using your term that I urge them to do this and that. I respect the jurisdiction of every administration. So my task and my stance is to point out to the American government and indeed to other governments, should that occasion arise, that they will be hurting their own interests in Hong Kong. And so we have substantiated by giving you the trade figures, which are always to the American favour in terms of the trade surplus they have been enjoying from this bilateral trading (of) goods with Hong Kong. I have pointed out to you that there are over 1,300 American companies in Hong Kong which have been treated in exactly the same way as a local company in accessing the Mainland market under the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA). I have pointed (out) to you that we have been granting visa-free access to American passport holders, even if we do not receive reciprocal treatment.

(To watch the full media session with sign language interpretation, click here.)

Chief Executive Carrie Lam today said any sanctions the US government or other governments impose on Hong Kong will hurt their own interests.

Speaking to the media ahead of the Executive Council meeting, Mrs Lam explained that the central government’s decision to enact national security legislation for Hong Kong is a legitimate process and there is no basis for any government to impose sanctions as a result.

"There is simply no justification whatsoever for any government, any economy to impose sanctions on Hong Kong as a result of a very legitimate process of the central government, central authorities taking this decision to enact laws for Hong Kong to better protect national security. But for the time being, I have not seen or heard any details from the US administration. So I could not really comment on that."

Mrs Lam emphasised that she respects the jurisdiction of every administration and used examples to substantiate why American and other governments would harm their own interests should they impose sanctions on Hong Kong.

"What I have done, in our government press releases and just now, is to point out. So my stance is I point out to the American authorities rather than using your term that I urge them to do this and that. I respect the jurisdiction of every administration. So my task and my stance is to point out to the American government and indeed to other governments, should that occasion arise, that they will be hurting their own interests in Hong Kong.

"And so we have substantiated by giving you the trade figures, which are always to the American favour in terms of the trade surplus they have been enjoying from this bilateral trading of goods with Hong Kong. I have pointed out to you that there are over 1,300 American companies in Hong Kong which have been treated in exactly the same way as a local company in accessing the Mainland market under the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA).

"I have pointed out to you that we have been granting visa-free access to American passport holders, even if we do not receive reciprocal treatment."