Pelosi Floor Speech on 20th Anniversary of Hong Kong’s Transfer of Sovereignty to China

Contact: Ashley Etienne/Caroline Behringer, 202-226-7616

Washington, D.C. – House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi delivered remarks on the Floor of the House of Representatives to mark 20 years from the day when the United Kingdom transferred sovereignty of Hong Kong to China, which occurred on July 1, 1997. Below are the Leader's remarks:

Leader Pelosi. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In 1984, before the United Kingdom handed over Hong Kong to China, the Chinese government promised ‘a high degree of autonomy' for the territory in the Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong: providing for independent executive, legislature and judiciary; ensuring the freedom of speech, press, assembly and religion; prohibiting the central government from interfering in the affairs that Hong Kong administers on its own according to the Basic Law; and pledging a path to universal suffrage.

In 1997, when the handover occurred, America was hopeful that the people of Hong Kong would achieve the free, democratic future they deserved.

But two decades later, we see China's promise of ‘one country, two systems' is not being met. The Chinese have not honored that promise, and the British government has ignored it.

Since 2014's ‘Umbrella Revolution,' the people of Hong Kong have faced a barrage of unjust and harsh restrictions on their freedoms.

Hong Kong's pro-Beijing government is slapping democratically-elected opposition lawmakers with expensive lawsuits in a backhanded attempt to disqualify them from their seats.

Peaceful activists are being rounded up and detained by the hundreds for exercising their right to protest the new government.

Five booksellers were abducted, smuggled across the border to China and forced to confess their so-called crimes on national television – simply because their employer sold books critical of Beijing.

And, just this week, the democracy activists and heroes of the ‘Umbrella Movement', Joshua Wong and Nathan Law, were arrested while peacefully protesting the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping – where they unfurled a banner in support of Liu Xiaobo.

Mr. Speaker, I want to commend this body and Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey for the resolution he put forth earlier — a resolution that recognized Liu Xiaobo's contributions to democratic freedoms as a global hero and urging he be allowed to seek medical care wherever, including in the United States.

In mainland China, Mr. Speaker, the Chinese government continues to jail journalists, human rights lawyers, those fighting to practice their own religion and democracy activists at an alarming rate. And the Chinese government is brutally trying to erase their religion, culture and language of the Tibetan people.

America has a moral duty to speak out in defense of the legitimate political aspirations of the people of Hong Kong. If we do not speak out for human rights in China because of economic concerns, then we lose all moral authority to talk about human rights in any other place in the world.

As we mark this solemn anniversary, we must stand up for all those who are demanding the promises of ‘one country, two systems' be honored.

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