By Samuel Itsede
For a country that would not brook foreign interference in its domestic affairs, it is bare face double standards for the United States Congress to have passed two bills which observers have described as a clandestine attempt to support protesters in Hong Kong.
The US has been serially accused of applying one set of standards for itself, allies and places where it has core interests, and apply another set of standards for others.
The passage of the “Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019” in the U.S. Congress provides yet another example of how the United States employs covert means to meddle in the internal affairs of other countries.
The Act, passed through the US Senate seamlessly last week Tuesday.
The US House of Representatives equally voted overwhelmingly for the bill last month. With the concurrence of the Senate, it now needs Trump’s assent to become law.
The legislation would require that the US State Department undertake a yearly review of the political situation in Hong Kong and certify that it retains enough autonomy to be entitled to US trading consideration that has helped the island nation become a global financial hub. Secondly the bill provides for sanction against Hong Kong officials and others accused of human rights violation against protesters.
Expected, this has caused outrage in the international community because of its far-reaching implications for other sovereign nations and the length the US is willing to go, to protect its interests across the world.
The Hong Kong government has described the passage of the bill as sending the ‘wrong message’ to the protesters. As a component of its mainland, China has also called on the US government to stay out of its affairs.
President Trump has about a week from now, to sign the bills unless he opts to use his veto. But indications are that the US President intends to sign the bills into law, not veto them. Moreover, Vetoes would be difficult to sustain since the measures passed both the Republican-controlled Senate and Democratic-controlled House with almost no objections.
If they become law, the tension between Washington and Beijing is likely to increase, casting a shadow on ongoing and delicate talks aimed at ending the US-China trade war.
Hong Kong’s government, for its part, has also expressed its strong opposition to the legislation saying it would damage the territory’s relations with the US. The Act will also send an erroneous signal to the violent protesters, which would not be conducive to de-escalating the already charged situation in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong has been in turmoil for the last five months and counting.
The once bubbling financial centre has already been pushed into a recession by the continuing protest which is reverberating across the global economy.
Observers believe that the US action in Hong Kong is part of its political strategy to win more concession from China in ongoing negotiation over the two countries “Trade War”
Evidently, the escalation of crisis in Sino-US relationship with the later using Hong Kong as a bargaining chip, is having a chilling effect on the global economy.
A slump in the global economy creates crises for primary products exporting countries like Nigeria. The World Bank’s growth projection for Nigeria has been downgraded twice this year as a result of fluctuating commodity prices.
At any rate, the global economic outlook is on a negative territory as a result of the trade war between the two largest economies in the world. A further escalation of conflict between both countries will spell economic doom for many countries especially in the third world who rely on primary commodity export.
What the international community should demand at this point in time is a de-escalation of the conflict, not an escalation.
Mainland China has already vowed a retaliation if the bills becomes law, this may precipitate a spiral that can easily run out of control.
US President Donald Trump should in the interest of global peace and security veto the legislation and instead work towards a diplomatic solution that would end the protests and restore normalcy in Hong Kong.
