The Latest: China summons US ambassador over Hong Kong
China has again summoned U.S. Ambassador Terry Branstad to demand the Trump administration block legislation passed by both chambers of Congress supporting pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong
The Latest on protests in Hong Kong (all times local):
12:30 p.m.
China has again summoned U.S. Ambassador Terry Branstad to demand the Trump administration block legislation passed by both chambers of Congress supporting pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong.
The foreign ministry said Vice Minister Zheng Zeguang on Monday expressed China’s strong opposition to the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act and warned that the U.S. would “bear all the consequences that arise.”
It was the second time in recent weeks that China has summoned Branstad to protest over the legislation, which was passed nearly unanimously and now awaits President Donald Trump’s signature.
Trump on Friday wouldn’t commit to signing the bill as he tries to work out a trade deal with China. He has 10 days from the time of passage last week to veto it. If he does not do so, it automatically becomes law, while Congress could also override a veto with a two-thirds majority in both houses.
The bill authorizes sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong officials involved in human rights abuses and would mandate the State Department to annually review the special autonomous status that the U.S. grants Hong Kong on trade.
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10:30 a.m.
Hong Kong’s embattled leader Carrie Lam has refused to offer any concessions to anti-government protesters despite a local election setback.
Lam says she will accelerate dialogue and plans to set up a committee to review deep-seated social issues that contributed to grievances.
She at her weekly news conference Tuesday that the central government in Beijing didn’t blame her for poll outcome, in which pro-democracy bloc won a landslide victory with 90 percent of seats.
She said Sunday’s election may have reflected unhappiness with the government but it also showed that many people want a stop to violence.
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