On October 29th, the Hong Kong Democratic Promoting Association (HKDC) released a research report titled “The S.A.R. Network: Uncovering the Hong Kong Government’s Subnational Foreign-Influence Campaign in America.” The report reveals that the Hong Kong government is promoting the Chinese Communist Party’s agenda within institutions at the state and local levels in the United States.
The headquarters of the Hong Kong Democratic Promoting Association is located in Washington state. According to the report, the Hong Kong government strategically targets media, think tanks, businesses, and academia at the state and local levels in the United States to promote CCP’s foreign policies such as the Belt and Road Initiative and to whitewash the Hong Kong government’s human rights violations.
The report states that official institutions of the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong and locally supported associations hire American consultants to spread pro-Beijing propaganda, connect Hong Kong with local American officials, and exclude voices that support democracy while claiming to represent Hong Kong immigrant groups in the U.S.
The report urges the U.S. Congress to pass the “Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Certification Act” to revoke the privileges of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices.
Hong Kong has 14 overseas Economic and Trade Offices in Europe, Asia, North America, and Dubai, each with different setups and privileges.
On September 10th, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the bipartisan “Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Certification Act.” If the bill becomes law, the three Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices in the U.S. will undergo annual evaluations, and if deemed unworthy of extensions and privileges by the U.S. government, they will be closed.
In May of this year, an employee of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London was accused of engaging in espionage activities and forcibly entering a residence, prompting the British government to review the status of the office.
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), another statutory body of the Hong Kong government, also plays a significant role in its influence network in Hong Kong.
The report cites official records showing that since 2021, the HKTDC has paid lobbying fees to the governments of 22 states in the U.S.
Since 2019, the HKTDC has been “misleading U.S. investors and business people about the political environment in Hong Kong” and has “pioneered new methods to promote pro-CCP propaganda at the state and local levels,” such as collaborating with influential American think tanks to produce a “fantastic” report on the Chinese business environment.
The roles of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices and the HKTDC are supported by 12 local Hong Kong associations in the U.S., with 10 still active.
The report highlights that “all ten active Hong Kong associations disclose financial or political ties with the Hong Kong government, with nine associations having connections to multiple Hong Kong government institutions.” Additionally, these associations often list the Economic and Trade Offices and the HKTDC as primary partners, with some receiving support from other Hong Kong government agencies.
These associations have established good relationships with local politicians and government officials, with some officials being members of these associations.
The associations facilitate promotional trips for Hong Kong officials, engage closely with the American academic community, claim to represent Hong Kong culture, interact with overseas democratic Hong Kong individuals who generally remain vigilant about the Hong Kong government’s overseas activities.
In 2020, Beijing enacted the Hong Kong National Security Law, and earlier this year, Hong Kong passed its locally-drafted National Security Law, both claiming extraterritorial jurisdiction. Hong Kong authorities have issued rewards for several exiled Hong Kong democracy activists, accusing them of inciting secession, colluding with foreign forces, and endangering national security, including Anna Kwok, the General Secretary of the Hong Kong Democratic Promoting Association.
When contacted by “Epoch Times,” the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council were requested for comments. As of the time of publication, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in the U.S. had not responded.