Pirate's Cove

The bills he signed are a good thing. Somehow, the NY Times almost makes it out, it’s very subtle, like this is a bad thing, and that Trump didn’t really want to do it

Trump Signs Hong Kong Democracy Legislation, Angering China

President Trump on Wednesday signed tough legislation that authorizes sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong officials responsible for human rights abuses in Hong Kong, signaling support for pro-democracy activists and escalating tensions with Beijing as Mr. Trump tries to negotiate a trade deal with Chinese leaders.

China’s Foreign Ministry was furious, saying the bill “seriously interfered with Hong Kong affairs, seriously interfered with China’s internal affairs, and seriously violated international law and basic norms of international relations.” The ministry warned the United States against acting arbitrarily and said that any consequences would “be borne by the United States.”

Whether Mr. Trump would sign the legislation had been a subject of debate. He refused to commit to doing so as late as last Friday, saying that he supported the protesters but that President Xi Jinping of China was “a friend of mine.” But Mr. Trump was left with few options: The bill had passed both the House and the Senate by veto-proof majorities.

So, instead of congratulating Trump for signing in, they go with “China mad!” and subtlety positioning Trump signing the bills as something he didn’t really want to do.

The second bill that Mr. Trump signed bans the sale of crowd-control munitions like tear gas and rubber bullets to the Hong Kong police.

The pro-Beijing government in Hong Kong expressed its strong displeasure, calling the two measures “unnecessary and unwarranted, and would harm the relations and common interests between Hong Kong and the U.S.”

We care what Beijing thinks why? Oh, right, it’s supposed to make it seems as if Trump was doing things without thinking.

The main measure, titled the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, would compel the United States to impose sanctions on officials. It would also require the State Department to annually review the special autonomous status it grants the territory in trade considerations. That status is separate from the relationship with mainland China, and revoking it would mean less favorable trade conditions between the United States and Hong Kong.

That’s a good thing, isn’t it?

Evan S. Medeiros, a Georgetown University professor who was the senior Asia director on President Barack Obama’s National Security Council staff, said Mr. Trump’s action could be his attempt to look tough on China to American voters without entirely upsetting the negotiations.

Um, it was passed almost unanimously. Does this mean Nancy Pelosi, AOC, Booker, Harris, Sanders, and the rest of the Dems were attempting to look tough?