Four US lawmakers are urging Secretary of State Antony Blinken to review the decision to invite Hong Kong chief executive John Lee Ka-chiu to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in San Francisco in November.
A letter to Blinken – signed by two Republicans, Senator Marco Rubio and Representative Chris Smith, and two Democrats, Senator Jeff Merkley and Representative Jim McGovern – points out that Lee chose to “use violence against peaceful protesters who were using their voices against the draconian national security law” during his time as Hong Kong’s secretary of security.
The national security law was imposed by Beijing in 2020, and has been used to expand the scope of persecution of the press, human rights and democracy activists in Hong Kong, critics say. Washington responded by adding Lee to a list of 11 people sanctioned for their role in “undermining the autonomy, restricting the freedom of expression or assembly of Hong Kong citizens”. He can now enter the US only by receiving a State Department waiver.
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Debate on the issue has resurfaced as San Francisco prepares to host the Apec summit. Leaders of the bloc’s 21 member economies, including US President Joe Biden, are expected to attend. Hong Kong has been a member since 1991, and Lee has expressed interest in attending this year’s event.
“Apec is an international organisation. It doesn’t belong to any country or economy. According to Apec’s rules and conventions, the organiser has the responsibility to invite members to attend ... It is up to the organiser to act in accordance with these conventions,” Lee said last week.
The State Department has said the decision will be made “in accordance with US laws and regulations, and on the basis of the spirit and principles of Apec.”
US must ‘act in accordance with conventions’, invite Hong Kong to Apec: Lee
In a letter sent to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in February, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman wrote: “The United States plans to invite Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee to attend Apec. As the host, we believe it is important to foster regional economic dialogue and for the United States and the PRC to work together to maintain global macroeconomic stability.”
She added, however, that an invitation did not absolve individuals of their role in “undermining protected rights and freedoms in Hong Kong”.
The four lawmakers who signed Wednesday’s letter to Blinken disagree.
“Inviting a sanctioned human rights abuser is an affront to all those who have been persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party and the People’s Republic of China and its proxies in Hong Kong, including American citizens ... as well as prominent Hong Kong leaders,” the letter said.
Also on Wednesday, the House Congressional-Executive Commission on China pressed the Hong Kong government on its human rights record, urging British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to “coordinate actions on Hong Kong policy with the Biden administration” and to “publicly make the release of Jimmy Lai and other political prisoners in Hong Kong a priority”.
Sunak is in Washington for a two-day visit that will include a meeting with Biden.
Lai founded the now-shuttered Apple Daily newspaper, known for its critical reporting on Beijing. He was arrested in 2020 on charges of fraud and collusion with foreign forces and has been in jail since.
Additional reporting by Bochen Han
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