Ocean County Leader

As part of its "China Week" initiative to counter the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) economic aggression and espionage in America, the House of Representatives has overwhelmingly passed legislation authored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ). The bill aims to rescind the diplomatic immunities and privileges of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices (HKETOs) that act on behalf of the CCP within the United States.

Smith’s legislation, known as the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) Certification Act (HR 1103), would empower the President to effectively terminate the operations of Hong Kong’s official representative offices in Washington, New York, and San Francisco. This move follows the U.S. decision to no longer recognize Hong Kong as autonomous after Beijing imposed its National Security Law on the region.

"My HKETO Certification Act is a necessary next step in tangibly demonstrating our solidarity with the persecuted citizens of Hong Kong," said Smith. He is also the prime author of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, first introduced in 2014, which aimed to provide strong sanctions and other consequences in response to crackdowns on democracy activists and human rights abuses in Hong Kong.

"Tragically, by the time the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act was passed by Congress and signed into law in 2019, it was a day late and a dollar short," Smith added.

Smith noted that HKETOs were initially granted diplomatic privileges under the expectation that Hong Kong would remain free from CCP rule. However, he emphasized that this expectation no longer aligns with current realities.

"At one time, HKETOs represented a city whose prosperity was based on its protection of fundamental human rights and freedom for its people," said Smith. "But the Hong Kong all of us knew and respected is gone."

He further commented on political detentions in Hong Kong: "The city is now governed by Chinese Communist Party puppets who have become as repressive as their masters in Beijing."

"The United States should not be granting diplomatic privileges and immunities to a network of communist spies and propagandists," stated Smith. As Chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, he has chaired over 100 congressional hearings exposing CCP's human rights abuses.

The House passage of Smith’s bill coincides with recent developments such as Linda Sun's arrest—the former aide to New York Governor Kathy Hochul—charged with acting as an agent for China's Communist regime.

"We have all been reminded recently of the Chinese Communist Party’s efforts to corrupt American leaders and silence dissenting voices," said Smith. "There is absolutely no reason why we should allow China’s Communist regime to have official representative offices in our country."

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