U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho, the top Republican on the U.S. Asia and the Pacific Subcommittee and a former vice-chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, weighed in on China’s continued efforts to crackdown on protests in Hong Kong.
On Friday, Yoho said the following:
If China continues the crackdown on the people of Hong Kong for their justified protest, I would hope that the free people of the world would begin a campaign to buy products from anywhere but China for the following reasons.
The U.K. in 1997 signed a binding agreement with China for the full transfer of Hong Kong back to China by 2047. The agreement specifically stated that Hong Kong was to remain a self-ruled province including elections with an independent judiciary system based on British rule of law without Chinese influence. This agreement was presented at the U.N. for approval where it was agreed upon by all parties. This agreement is twenty-two years in existence and already the heavy hands of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) are present. This was enabled by Chief Executive Lam who was handpicked by Beijing and is a CCP supporter.
The second egregious overstep by Beijing was the rapid introduction of the Extradition Bill in Hong Kong that would allow anyone that the Chinese government wanted to bring up on charges to be taken to China and tried in their opaque court system that lacks transparency, accountability, and due process. This would apply to business executives from any company or nationality. This would alter severely the core foundation of Hong Kong’s economy and freedom which is ranked one of the highest in the free world.
So, the people of Hong Kong have a valid reason to protest and they are exercising it while they can. If China will not honor their previous agreements – whether in Hong Kong, Taiwan, or the East Sea – why should people of western democracies continue feeding the rabid dog that wants to bite them. China could end this protest today by fully withdrawing completely the Extradition bill. I encourage everyone to buy products made anywhere except China until China changes its authoritarian bullying. Please join us to send a succinct message to Xi Jinping, the Chinese Communist Party, and manufacturers that this kind of action is unacceptable.
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