Chairman Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) and Ranking Member Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), in conjunction with the chairs of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, Rep. Christopher Smith (R-N.J.) and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), have called for sanctions to be imposed on officials responsible for the CCP's placement of bounties on five individuals. The request was directed to United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
In recent developments, Hong Kong police expanded a previously established list of eight overseas activists, classifying them as fugitives and offering rewards for information leading to their capture. According to a Reuters report, these rewards amount to HK$1 million (equivalent to $128,000 USD), and the targeted activists, including Simon Cheng, Frances Hui, Joey Siu, Johnny Fok, and Tony Choi, reside in countries such as the United States. They are wanted for various offenses including collusion with foreign countries.
The legislators sent a joint letter requesting sanctions against Hong Kong and CCP officials responsible for these bounties. As per a press release from the Select Committee on the CCP, this letter includes names such as Paul Lam Ting-kwok, Hong Kong Secretary for Justice; Raymond Siu Chak-yee, Hong Kong Commissioner of Police; Margaret Chiu Wing-lan, Assistant Commissioner of Police; National Security Bruce Hung Ngan; Senior Superintendent of Police; among others. This has triggered an investigation into their potential eligibility for sanctions.
The investigation will evaluate eligibility for sanctions under three key legislations: "Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act," "Hong Kong Autonomy Act," and "Executive Order 13936." The completion of this inquiry is expected by January 19th, 2024 according to details provided in the letter.
The lawmakers stated in the letter, "The Hong Kong authorities’ egregious attempt to intimidate and silence U.S. nationals engaged in peaceful political activism in the United States is outrageous and cannot be met with inaction. We urge the administration to take swift action and impose sanctions on the perpetrators of this reprehensible act of transnational repression. We also urge you to work with Congress to address transnational repression."
The Select Committee on the CCP, chaired by Gallagher, was established to counteract the influence of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). This bipartisan committee is committed to "working on a bipartisan basis to build consensus on the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party and develop a plan of action to defend the American people, our economy, and our values". Its members include Reps. such as Michelle Steel (R-Calif.), Andy Barr (R-Ky.), Shontel Brown (D-Ohio), Jake Auchincloss (Mass.), among others, according to information from the Select Committee on the CCP.
