WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken has reaffirmed a determination made last year by the Trump administration that Hong Kong is no longer autonomous and remains undeserving of special treatment by the United States. In a notice sent to Congress on Wednesday, Blinken said China had continued to “dismantle” Hong Kong’s autonomy since his predecessor first made the determination in May 2020. Blinken says as a result the former British colony does not warrant U.S. trade and financial perks it had enjoyed since it reverted to Chinese rule in 1997. The decision is another indication President Joe Biden’s administration has not strayed from the hard line taken by President Donald Trump on China.
