Brinken said he would like to take in Hong Kong people. (AFP, file photo)
–
2021/02/10 08:24
[Central News Agency]The last US Congress failed to pass the Hong Kong Asylum Act. After the new U.S. Secretary of State Blinken has repeatedly expressed his willingness to accept Hong Kong people, many senators have reintroduced the bill today, hoping to help Hong Kong people who have participated in peaceful resistance and feared persecution. Obtained refugee status in the United States.
China implemented the National Security Law in June last year to increase its efforts to suppress Hong Kong. At that time, U.S. congressmen introduced two bills to provide shelter for Hong Kong people fleeing oppression, including the “Hong Kong People’s Freedom and Choice Act.” ) And the “Hong Kong Safe Harbor Act” (Hong Kong Safe Harbor Act).
However, Republican Senator Ted Cruz used the bill to lower the threshold of U.S. refugees and allow the influx of Chinese spies before the end of the last Congress to block the “Hong Kong People’s Freedom and Choice Act” that is most likely to be passed by both houses in December last year. “.
Republican Senator Marco Rubio today, together with the Democratic Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Menendez and other 11 cross-party senators, reintroduced the “Hong Kong Safe Harbor Act.”
The bill clearly stipulates that Hong Kong residents and their spouses, children and parents who have ever expressed political stance or participated in political activities peacefully have a reasonable fear of being persecuted, or have been prosecuted, detained or convicted for peaceful acts, and the US Secretary of State shall list them It is a “priority treatment category for Type 2 refugees with special humanitarian concerns.”
The United States currently has three priority treatment categories for overseas refugees. The first category is for cases facing high security concerns, the second category is for cases of special humanitarian concerns in the United States, and the third category is for family reunion cases. Refugee applicants who meet the criteria for the priority processing category have the opportunity to interview an immigration officer, but there is no guarantee that the application will be accepted.
In order to avoid crowding out, the bill excludes foreigners who obtain refugee status in accordance with the regulations of this law from the United States’ annual immigration and refugee quotas.
In addition, considering the possibility of China’s retaliation, the bill also clearly stipulates that a person whose citizenship, nationality, or right of abode is revoked because of a refugee application to the US government will be regarded as a case of persecution due to political stance, and the application qualification will not be affected. influences. The bill has a 5-year sunset clause.
As the new Secretary of State Antony Blinken has stated more than once that when China is suppressing Hong Kong, the United States should take in Hong Kong people fleeing the oppression. If the bill is passed by Congress, the US executive branch is expected to accept more Hong Kong people in the future.
Rubio said that China has stepped up its containment of Hong Kong, targeting pan-democratic leaders and social activists. Former members of the Hong Kong constituency, Huang Zhifeng and Zhou Ting, have all been imprisoned for exercising their basic rights. He emphasized: “The United States must do everything it can to help these Hong Kong people who bravely defend their beloved city, protect them from China’s persecution, and open the door for them.”
No need to draw, no need to grab, watch the news on the app now and guarantee to win every dayClick me to download the app
According to me
– .
