Trump imposes further sanctions against China, signs Hong Kong Autonomy Act

United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed the Hong Kong Autonomy Act--legislation and an executive order authorising sanctions against China for 'its oppressive action against the people of Hong Kong.'

"Today, I signed legislation and an executive order to hold China accountable for its oppressive actions against the people of Hong Kong. Hong Kong Autonomy Act which I signed this afternoon passed unanimously through Congress," Trump said.

"This law gives my administration powerful new tools to hold responsible the individuals and the entities involved in extinguishing Hong Kong's freedom. We have all watched what happened, not a good situation. Their freedom and rights have been taken away," he added.

The Act will allow the Trump administration to levy sanctions against foreign individuals and banks for contributing to the erosion of Hong Kong`s autonomy signing of the Act comes two weeks after the imposition of the Hong Kong security Law.

The US President also signed an executive order ending the city`s preferential trade treatment."Hong Kong will now be treated the same as mainland China," Trump said in a news conference outside the White House.

"No special privileges, no special economic treatment, and no export of sensitive technologies," he added.

US Congress, early this month, unanimously passed the Hong Kong Autonomy Act.

Trump made these statements at the Rose Garden press briefing.

Last month, China passed the national security legislation disregarding the global outcry and protest in the semi-autonomous city against the law.

This law is expected to come into effect on July 1, the 23rd anniversary of the city's handover to China from British rule.

The security legislation, which bans secessionist activities, among other things, is seen by Hong Kong residents as undermining their liberties.

Moreover,  Hong Kong`s government unveiled new "implementation rules" last week under the legislation, drastically expanding police powers to search and order potentially-illegal material online to be deleted for the purposes of "preventing, suppressing and imposing punishment for any acts and activities endangering national security."

On June 18, Foreign Ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) member countries issued a joint statement strongly urging China to reconsider its decision to impose national security legislation on Hong Kong.