US President Donald Trump said yesterday, “we’re in the final throes of a very important deal”. He hailed again that it’s “one of the most important deals in trade ever” and “it’s going very well. But, “at the same time we want to see it go well in Hong Kong”. He added, “I think that President Xi can make that happen. I know him and I know he’d like to make it happen”, without elaboration.
For now, it’s unsure when Trump will sign the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act. The bill was for backing Hongkonger’s defense of its autonomy, and was passed by both Senate and House last week nearly unanimously. China has warned by retaliation if Trump signs it into law.
Separately, White House adviser Kellyanne Conway said US and China were “getting really close” on the phase one trade deal. And the US will “continue to negotiate”. She added, “those forced tech transfers, the theft of intellectual property, the trade imbalance of a half a trillion a year with the world’s second largest economy, China – this makes no sense to people.”
