August 07, 2020

Van Hollen and Toomey Support U.S. Sanctions Against Hong Kong Aggressors

U.S. Senators Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), authors of the bipartisan Hong Kong Autonomy Act, issued the following statements on the United States sanctioning 11 top Hong Kong and mainland China officials that are working to erode Hong Kong’s autonomy: 

“I’m glad to see the Administration using the authority provided under our Hong Kong Autonomy Act to hold Chinese officials accountable for their brutal crackdown on human rights and liberty in Hong Kong. China must face the consequences of its actions – we will not let up,” said Senator Van Hollen.

“The Chinese Communist Party has been systematically eroding the basic freedoms that they themselves have promised to the people of Hong Kong,” said Senator Toomey. “Those responsible must be held accountable. Today’s action is another important signal to the world that the United States stands behind the people of Hong Kong in their fight for freedom.” 

Today, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on 11 individuals for “undermining Hong Kong’s autonomy and restricting the freedom of expression or assembly of the citizens of Hong Kong.” The sanctions were levied under an Executive Order signed by President Trump that implemented provisions of the Hong Kong Autonomy Act. 

More on the sanctions from Treasury here.