Hong Kong welcomes US move to let national emergency declaration expire

The Hong Kong government on Friday welcomed the Trump administration’s decision to allow a national emergency declaration concerning the city to expire, a potentially significant reversal of US policy imposed after Beijing enacted the national security law in 2020.The declaration, which underpinned Washington’s decision to end Hong Kong’s preferential treatment in areas including trade and export controls, expired this week after US President Donald Trump did not renew it for another year.The Hong Kong government called the move “an important step” towards implementing a consensus reached between China and the United States, amid signs of easing tensions between the world’s two largest economies.“Safeguarding Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability serves the common interests of China and the United States and is also in line with the international community’s shared expectations,” a government spokesman said.The statement welcomed what it described as a positive adjustment to Washington’s Hong Kong policy and urged the United States to respect Chinese sovereignty and the rule of law in the city while restoring normal economic and trade ties.China’s commerce ministry also said the US had confirmed that it would not extend the measure, which had been renewed annually since Trump issued it during his first term.The decision follows the recent Beijing summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping (right) and US President Donald Trump, as both sides seek to stabilise ties. Photo: Reuters