Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Jim Risch, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made the following statement in advance of tomorrow’s 5th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party’s decision to deny true universal suffrage to Hong Kong:
“I am deeply concerned about recent developments in Hong Kong this past week, including the arrests and charging of pro-democracy activists,” Chairman Risch said. “According to press reports, the Chinese Communist Party recently rejected a proposal by the Hong Kong government to address legitimate concerns from the protestors. Nations who want respect on the world stage are not afraid of their own people, and they honor their commitments to their people. I hope Xi Jinping and the leadership in Beijing will choose a path that respects Hong Kong’s autonomy and encourages dialogue and accountability.
"As I have said before, any acts of violent suppression are unacceptable. Beijing would be unwise to think that escalation will be tolerated by the international community.”
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