Warning of "countermeasures" against the US after President Donald Trump signed a bill supporting pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong, a livid China on Thursday summoned the US envoy and asked Washington to refrain from putting the law into effect to "avoid further damage" to bilateral ties.
China's action came just hours after Trump signed the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019 into law.
The bill would require the State Department to certify once a year that Hong Kong is sufficiently autonomous to retain its special US trading consideration -- a status that helps its economy.
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng summoned US Ambassador to China Terry Branstad to lodge a strong protest against the US move.
"China strongly urges the US to correct its mistake and make a fresh start, not to put the Act into effect, and immediately stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs or interfering in China's internal affairs so as to avoid causing further damage to bilateral ties and ...
