US Moves Closer to Closing Beijing-Controled Hong Kong Representative Offices

“Communist China has assimilated Hong Kong’s autonomy, as such, HKETOs should not enjoy separate diplomatic status in the U.S,” Sen. Marco Rubio tweeted.

The Hong Kong flag is seen near the High Court in Hong Kong on July 28, 2023. Isaac Lawrence/AFP via Getty Images

A U.S. bill aims at closing three Hong Kong representative offices in the United States, citing the former British colony’s loss of a high degree of autonomy under the communist rule, was passed by the congressional House Foreign Affairs Committee with a unanimous vote of 39 on Nov. 29.

The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations approved the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Certification Act in July, and will now submit it to the House Rules Committee.