US Ambassador Terry Branstad has expressed deep American concern about Chinese decisions that erode fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong. China and the United States gave differing accounts of a meeting between a senior Chinese official and the U.S. ambassador, as the two countries sparred over Hong Kong. A statement from the Chinese side late Wednesday said that Vice Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang had summoned U.S. Ambassador Terry Branstad to protest recent U.S. moves including a law to sanction officials who undermine local autonomy in Hong Kong. Trump signed the Hong Kong Autonomy Act into law on Tuesday, as well as an executive order affirming an earlier decision to eliminate preferential treatment for Hong Kong.

Source: The Standard July 16, 2020 07:30 UTC