Mike Pompeo asserts US will hold China accountable if Hong Kong's freedom is suppressed

The United States on Wednesday, July 8 said that it "would love to preserve the freedom in Hong Kong", but if it can't it will hold the Chinese Communist Party accountable for it.

"Hong Kong was such a special place, where there were all of the freedoms that people of Hong Kong were promised by the Chinese Communist Party. We’d love to preserve the freedom in Hong Kong; but if we can’t, we’re going to hold CCP accountable," the United States Department of State quoted Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Read: China: Security Law Will Strengthen Hong Kong Economy 

Read: Hong Kong Leader Carrie Lam Says New Security Law Is 'lenient'

Mike Pompeo also accused Beijing of failing to share full information about the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to tens and thousands of death across the world.

Pompeo further pointed out the Chinese Communist Party's latest move to file a boundary dispute with Bhutan, which has been brought up for the first time by Beijing, is a bid to pressure India as it lies along the Arunachal border.

The US Secretary of State added that Beijing has a pattern of instigating territorial disputes to bully its neighbours just as in the South China Sea, the Himalayas, Senkaku islands, and beyond. Pompeo said that the world shouldn't allow this to happen. 

Hong Kong Security law

Earlier on June 30, China imposed the national security law in Hong Kong after Chinese President Xi Jinping signed it into effect. The new security law for Hong Kong gives Beijing sweeping powers in the former British colony, which critics argue will further suffocate the freedoms enjoyed by the residents of the semi-autonomous region.

Beijing on July 8 inaugurated the new security office in Hong Kong. Under the new law, raising pro-independence or democracy slogans is illegal and can land people in jail. 

Read: Hongkongers Use Secret Language To Voice Dissent After China Imposed New Security Law

The law also gives unprecedented powers to mainland-backed chief executive Carrie Lam, who can now appoint judges to hear cases related to the new security law. According to earlier rules, the chief executive had no say in deciding roster for judges.

Security forces will have overriding authority to search homes for evidence and restrict people from leaving the city under the new law. China has claimed that the new law will only affect miscreants and that innocent people will not be disturbed. Carrie Lam on July 6 described the new law imposed by China to be 'lenient'. 

Read: Hong Kong Inaugurates Beijing's National Security Office