Duval Times

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and U.S. Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) are calling for a crackdown on hostile Chinese outposts in the United States. In an article published on RealClear World, Rubio and Smith argue that the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices (HKETOs) in the U.S. are complicit in the persecution of pro-democracy leaders and serve as a propaganda arm for Beijing.

The authors highlight the fact that the U.S. has granted diplomatic privileges and immunities to the HKETOs based on the assumption that Hong Kong would remain free from communist rule. However, with the imposition of China's National Security Law on Hong Kong, the reality has changed.

Rubio and Smith point out that Hong Kong now unjustly detains political prisoners at a rate comparable to authoritarian countries like Belarus, Cuba, and Burma. They emphasize that these prisoners are pro-democracy leaders who have simply stood up against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The authors argue that the HKETOs are complicit in the persecution of these political prisoners. They assert that the offices serve as a propaganda arm for Beijing in the United States, defending communist oppression and obscuring the truth. Additionally, the HKETOs assist the CCP in tracking exiled Hong Kong activists in the U.S.

To address this issue, Rubio and Smith, along with Representative Jim McGovern and Senator Jeff Merkley, have introduced the HKETO Certification Act. This bipartisan bill aims to remove diplomatic privileges and immunities granted to the HKETOs. Furthermore, as long as the HKETOs remain in operation, federal agencies would be banned from cooperating in their propaganda efforts and human rights violations.

The authors highlight that the bill has already passed the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. They urge Congress to expedite the process and get the bill to President Biden's desk as soon as possible.

In conclusion, Rubio and Smith are calling for action to remove diplomatic privileges from the HKETOs in the U.S. They argue that these outposts are complicit in the persecution of pro-democracy leaders and serve as a propaganda arm for the Chinese Communist Party. The HKETO Certification Act aims to address this issue and has already made progress in Congress.

For additional details, please follow this link: https://www.rubio.senate.gov/icymi-rubio-smith-crack-down-on-hostile-hong-kong-outposts/