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© Reuters. File picture: U.S. President Joe Biden delivers a speech at the White House in Washington, U.S., on August 3, 2021.Reuters/Jonathan Ernst
Authors: Michael Martina, Ted Hesson, and David Brunnstrom
WASHINGTON (Reuters)-President Joe Biden provided a temporary “safe haven” for Hong Kong residents in the United States on Thursday, allowing thousands of people to extend their stay in response to Beijing’s democratic repression of Chinese territory.
Biden used “convincing foreign policy reasons” as an excuse to instruct the Department of Homeland Security to implement an 18-month “delayed repatriation” for Hong Kong residents in the United States.
Biden said in the memo: “In the past year, China has continued to attack Hong Kong’s autonomy, undermine its remaining democratic procedures and systems, impose restrictions on academic freedom, and crack down on press freedom.” The People’s Republic of China.
He said that providing a safe haven for Hong Kong residents “further promotes the interests of the United States in the region. The United States will not shake our support for the people of Hong Kong.”
A senior government official said that it is not yet clear how many people the proposal will affect, but it is expected that the vast majority of Hong Kong residents in the United States are eligible.
The White House stated that the measure made it clear that the United States “will not stand idly by, because China has violated its commitments to Hong Kong and the international community.”
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (Alejandro Mayorkas) said that eligible people can also seek employment permits.
This is the latest in a series of actions that Biden has taken to address the erosion of the rule of law in the former British colony that his government said, which returned to Beijing’s control in 1997.
The US government imposed more sanctions on Chinese officials in Hong Kong in July and warned the company of the risks of operating under China’s national security laws last year, criminalizing what it considers to be subversion, separatism, terrorism, or collusion with foreign powers .
Critics say that although Beijing has agreed to grant Hong Kong considerable political autonomy for 50 years, the law has promoted the suppression of democratic activists and freedom of the press.
China last month retaliated against the actions of the United States by imposing sanctions on Americans including former US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross.
Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, said that the United States’ description of the situation in Hong Kong “confuses black and white,” and the national security law creates a safer environment and protects freedom.
“This practice ignored and distorted facts and grossly interfered in China’s internal affairs,” he said, referring to the US statement.
The Hong Kong Office of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday that the proposal was an attempt to “slander Hong Kong, smear China, and take action to undermine Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability.”
‘Broad-minded decision’
U.S. legislators seek legislation to make it easier for Hong Kongers to obtain U.S. refugee status when they are afraid of persecution after participating in protests against China.
“The People’s Republic of China has fundamentally changed the cornerstone of Hong Kong institutions,” Secretary of State Anthony Brinken said in a statement, noting that the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities arbitrarily postponed scheduled elections, disqualified legislators, undermined press freedom and arrested 10,000. Multiple people.
Brinken said that Washington is working with allies to provide protection to coordinate the efforts of the Biden administration and like-minded partners to fight against China.
British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab welcomed the “generous decision” on Twitter. At the beginning of this year, the United Kingdom allowed Hong Kong residents to apply for new visas, providing opportunities to become British citizens.
After Beijing’s crackdown, other countries, including Canada and Australia, have also taken measures to facilitate Hong Kong immigration or permanent residence.
The Biden administration’s move is part of the Deferred Mandatory Departure (DED) program, which does not provide a way to obtain citizenship, but can be renewed indefinitely by the president.
Republican Senator Ben Sass called the safe haven move a “solid step,” but said the government should go further and provide Hong Kong people with comprehensive asylum.
When asked about the prospect of obtaining permanent residency, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that Hong Kongers can still be referred to the US refugee admission program.
Samuel Chu, managing director of the Hong Kong Democracy Committee, a Washington-based advocacy organization, said that the data is limited, but there may be tens of thousands of people eligible to participate in the DED program, including thousands of people on student visas. He said that many people have a strong desire to return to Hong Kong, but it may take a period of more than 18 months.
“The overwhelming desire of Hong Kong people is to continue fighting for the restoration of their autonomy and freedom,” Zhu said.
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