[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 667 Engrossed in House (EH)]
In the House of Representatives, U.S.,
September 13, 2004.
Whereas according to the April 1, 2004, report by the Department of State
entitled U.S.-Hong Kong Policy Act Report, ``The United States has
strong interests in the protection of human rights and the promotion of
democratic institutions throughout the world. The Hong Kong people share
many values and interests with Americans and have worked to make Hong
Kong a model of what can be achieved in a society based on the rule of
law and respect for civil liberties'';
Whereas according to section 103(3) of the United States-Hong Kong Policy Act of
1992 (22 U.S.C. 5713(3)), ``The United States should continue to treat
Hong Kong as a territory which is fully autonomous from the United
Kingdom and, after June 30, 1997, should treat Hong Kong as a territory
which is fully autonomous from the People's Republic of China with
respect to economic and trade matters.'';
Whereas the People's Republic of China has frustrated the gradual and orderly
process toward universal suffrage and the democratic election of the
legislature and chief executive in Hong Kong as envisioned by the Basic
Law of the Hong Kong SAR; and
Whereas on April 6, 2004, the Standing Committee of the National People's
Congress of the People's Republic of China declared itself, as opposed
to the people of Hong Kong, the final arbiter of democratic reform and,
on April 26, 2004, declared that universal suffrage would not apply to
the election of the third Chief Executive in 2007 or to the election of
all members of the fourth Legislative Council in 2008: Now, therefore,
be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) declares that the people of Hong Kong should be free to
determine the pace and scope of constitutional developments; and
(2) calls upon the President of the United States to--
(A) call upon the People's Republic of China, the National
People's Congress, and any groups appointed by the Government of
the People's Republic of China to guarantee that all revisions
of Hong Kong law reflect the wishes of the people of Hong Kong
as expressed through a fully democratically elected legislature
and chief executive;
(B) declare that the continued lack of a fully
democratically elected legislature in Hong Kong is contrary to
the vision of democracy set forth in the Agreement between the
Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland and the Government of the People's Republic of China on
the Question of Hong Kong, done at Beijing on December 19, 1984
(the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984); and
(C) call upon the Government of the People's Republic of
China to honor its treaty obligations under the Sino-British
Joint Declaration of 1984.
Attest:
Clerk.