The United States has threatened Beijing with new countermeasures after China imposed draconian national security laws on Hong Kong. Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State called the enactment of the sweeping measures a “sad day for Hong Kong, and for freedom-loving people across China” and reiterated the White House’s commitment to abolishing the city’s special status under US law. “Per President Trump’s instruction, we will eliminate policy exemptions that give Hong Kong different and special treatment, with few exceptions,” Mr Pompeo said. “The United States will not stand idly by while China swallows Hong Kong into its authoritarian maw,” he warned. Read more: What does the new security law mean for Hong Kong?
