April 8, 2025 – The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong (CFHK) Foundation welcomes Monday’s reintroduction of the bipartisan Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices Certification Act (HR 2661) by Co-Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ), and former CECC Co-Chair Representative Jim McGovern (D-MA).
The bill requires the U.S. Secretary of State to assess whether Hong Kong continues to merit special diplomatic privileges for its Economic and Trade Offices (HKETOs), given that it no longer enjoys a “high degree of autonomy” from the People’s Republic of China (PRC). If the Secretary determines that Hong Kong is no longer sufficiently autonomous, the privileges, exemptions, and immunities currently extended to the HKETOs would be revoked, and the offices would be required to cease operations within 180 days.
HKETOs currently operate in Washington, D.C., New York, and San Francisco, as well as in cities around the world. They were established to promote economic and cultural ties and serve no consular function. Under current U.S. law, however, they enjoy special privileges and their staff are granted diplomatic immunity under the assumption that Hong Kong would maintain a high degree of autonomy.
That assumption no longer holds. Since the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) imposition of the National Security Law in 2020, Hong Kong’s political autonomy, civil liberties, and rule of law have been systematically dismantled. Today, HKETOs function as political outposts for Beijing — whitewashing human rights abuses, promoting CCP propaganda, and undermining international support for Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement.
Most alarmingly, individuals linked to HKETOs and similarly positioned bodies abroad have been charged with espionage-related offenses. In 2023, UK authorities charged three individuals connected to the HKETO in London with espionage and conducting surveillance on overseas pro-democracy activists. Similar incidents have occurred in Germany, where the authorities in Berlin arrested an individual who worked at the Hong Kong Trade and Development Council on charges of espionage.
Last year, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices Certification Act passed the House of Representatives by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 413-3 and advanced through the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The CFHK Foundation looks forward to its reintroduction in the Senate and urges swift passage of this legislation to ensure consistency in U.S. policy on Hong Kong and to uphold democratic principles at home.
Jonathan Stivers, U.S. Director at the CFHK Foundation, said:
“Hong Kong is no longer autonomous from China and there is no longer any justification for Hong Kong to have its own, additional diplomatic posts, staff, privileges, and immunities in the United States, as if it is a foreign country. This is an especially problematic arrangement due to the Hong Kong government’s detention of political prisoners and its extraordinary imposition of bounties on advocates living in the United States. The House of Representatives should bring this legislation to the floor, and Secretary Marco Rubio — the previous lead sponsor of the HKETO legislation — should shut down the HKETO offices as soon as possible.”
Frances Hui, CFHK Foundation’s Policy and Advocacy Coordinator, said:
“The HKETOs will not mention the pro-democracy movement that occurred in Hong Kong. They will not tell you about the nearly 2,000 political prisoners in Hong Kong. Their history of lobbying U.S. politicians, spying on exiled activists, and organizing propaganda efforts to conceal the CCP’s crackdown on Hong Kong’s civil society should serve as clear evidence that these offices do not deserve the diplomatic protection they currently enjoy in the United States. We thank Representatives Smith and McGovern for their leadership in sounding the alarm on HKETOs and for reintroducing this crucial bill to hold these offices accountable and protect the U.S. from CCP influence and surveillance.”
To understand more about the HKETOs and our advocacy on this issue, please visit the CFHK Foundation website.
