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1 1 (December 18, 2019)

handle is hein.crs/govbfyu0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Hong Kong's Protests of 2019 - mmm, go mppm qq\ , q I aS 11LIANJILiN, Updated December 18, 2019 Every week since June 9, 2019, thousands of residents of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of China, or Hong Kongers, have held marches and rallies to protest the perceived erosion of their city's high degree of autonomy promised in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, and Beijing's efforts to Mainlandize Hong Kong's culture, economy, and society. The Hong Kong government, led by Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, and China's central government have characterized the largely peaceful protests as riots and terrorism. The Hong Kong Police Force has employed increasingly aggressive tactics to stop the protests, resulting in allegations that its officers are violating international standards for responding to civil demonstrations. The United States-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992 (Hong Kong Policy Act; P.L. 102-383; 22 USC Ch. 66, as amended) calls on China to abide by the promises it made in the 1984 Joint Declaration. It also states that the United States will afford the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, or HKSAR, separate treatment from China unless the President determines that Hong Kong is not sufficiently autonomous to justify such treatment. On November 20, 2019, Congress passed the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019 (HKHRDA, P.L. 116-76), which requires the President to impose visa and economic sanctions on each foreign person that the President determines is responsible for (A) the extrajudicial rendition, arbitrary detention, or torture of any person in Hong Kong; or (B) other gross violations of recognized human rights in Hong Kong. The law also requires the Secretary of State to certify annually to Congress that Hong Kong is sufficiently autonomous to justify special treatment by the United States for bilateral agreements and programs, and prohibits the denial of a visa to a Hong Kong resident to enter the United States primarily on the basis of the applicant's subjection to politically-motivated arrest, detention, or other adverse government action. On the same day, Congress also passed P.L. 116-77, which prohibits the commercial export of covered munitions items to the Hong Kong Police Force for one year. President Trump released a statement after signing the two bills on November 27, 2019, stating his hope that Leaders and Representatives of China and Hong Kong will be able to amicably settle their differences leading to long term peace and prosperity for all. ,'o eS r . . Vi On June 9, 2019, protest organizers estimated that 1 million Hong Kongers participated in a peaceful march from Victoria Park to the headquarters of the HKSAR government in opposition to proposed legislation that would have, among other things, allowed extradition of persons from Hong Kong to Mainland China (see CRS In Focus IFi 1248, Hong Kong's Proposed Extradition Law Amendments). The Hong Kong Police Force estimated 240,000 people attended the event. The following day, Chief Executive Lam said that her government planned to request that Hong Kong's Legislative Council (Legco) take up consideration of the bill on June 12, despite the protest. On June 12, tens of thousands of people surrounded the Legco building in opposition to the extradition bill. Legco cancelled its session for the day. After a standoff lasting several hours, an estimated 5,000 Hong Kong police officers in riot gear used tear gas, rubber bullets, pepper spray, and truncheons to disperse the demonstrators. Chief Executive Lam and Police Commissioner Steven Lo Wai- chung characterized the day's demonstration a riot. Two days later, Chief Executive Lam announced an indefinite delay in Legco's consideration of the extradition bill. On the following Sunday, June 16, an estimated 2 million Hong Kong residents again peacefully marched from Victoria Park to the HKSAR government headquarters; the Hong Kong Police Force stated that 334,000 people participated. During the June 16 demonstration, the protesters called on Lam to comply with Five Demands (see text box). After the protest march, Chief Executive Lam released a written apology, saying that she would pay more attention to the views of the Hong Kong people. Lam subsequently withdrew the extradition legislation, fulfilling the first demand, but she has repeatedly stated that she will not comply with the other four demands. The Protesters' Five Demands I. For mally withdr aw the extradition legislation 2. Drop all charges against arrested pr-otesters 3. Retiact the characterization of protests as iriots 4. Establish an independent investigation into police br-utality 5. Implement the election of the Chief Executive and all Legco members by universal suffrage Since June 16, one or more large-scale demonstrations have taken place every weekend, and on some weekdays as well. In many cases, after the formal demonstrations were over, some protesters marched to new locations or blocked off streets, leading to the deployment of police officers in riot gear. The arrival of the police frequently has led to confrontations, and eventually the use of tear gas, rubber bullets, and pepper spray to break up the protests. The protesters have responded by donning makeshift riot gear and throwing bottles, bricks, and Molotov cocktails at the police, leading to accusations of violence by both sides. K~:>

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