Trump is threatening to revoke Hong Kong’s special trade status in light of the proposed security legislation. The questions for today are:
- Would this action be justified?
- Would it be wise?
The answer to the first question is yes. The legislation, and the manner in which it is being adopted, means that Hong Kong’s autonomy is coming to an end. Ironically, the Chinese government is complaining about interference in their internal affairs; how can treating Hong Kong in the same manner as the rest of China do that?
I’m much more ambivalent on the second question. The real villain here is the Chinese government, not the workers and businesses in Hong Kong. I’m not sure this action will cause the government any real pain. It would be a better idea to work the diplomatic phones to get stronger international expressions of support for Hong Kong’s rights, and to provide special immigration status for anyone who wants to leave.