Hong Kong (CNN) China's legislature has approved a proposal to impose a highly contentious national security law in Hong Kong, in an unprecedented move that critics say threatens fundamental political freedoms and civil liberties in the semi-autonomous territory. It will then be implemented upon promulgation by the Hong Kong government, bypassing the city's legislature via a rarely-enacted constitutional backdoor. Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmaker Claudia Mo said the decision marks "the beginning of a sad and traumatizing era" for the city. Hong Kong's special trade and economic status with the US exempts it from the tariffs and export controls imposed by Washington on mainland China. According to the Hong Kong government, the US had a surplus of US$31.1 billion in merchandise trade over Hong Kong in 2018, the single economy with which the US has the highest trade surplus.

Source: CNN May 28, 2020 05:09 UTC