Eli Lake, Columnist

Trump Should Open America’s Doors to Hong Kong’s Citizens

U.S. policy should focus on punishing the Chinese Communist Party.

May 27, 2020 at 11:30 PM UTC

Eli Lake is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering national security and foreign policy. He was the senior national security correspondent for the Daily Beast and covered national security and intelligence for the Washington Times, the New York Sun and UPI.

They deserve the chance to come to America.
Photographer: Bloomberg/Bloomberg

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President Donald Trump will soon have to make some hard choices when it comes to China. And while allowing more immigration might go against his instincts, it would be the best way to punish China for its actions against Hong Kong.

Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on Wednesday certified that Hong Kong no longer warrants special treatment under U.S. law. It has enjoyed that status since 1997, when China agreed to respect the territory’s autonomy and liberal system of courts and elections for 50 years. The certification, required under a law passed last year in response to China’s crackdown in Hong Kong, followed Beijing’s announcement that it would unilaterally impose a national security law on the city-state.