President Trump is expected to sign legislation backing pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong and authorizing sanctions, according to former officials familiar with his thinking, even as his administration pursues a trade deal with China.
Trump has spent months carefully avoiding weighing in on the spiraling protests and crackdowns in the former British territory.
But last week, Congress cleared legislation designed to impose sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong officials accused of abuses. The proposal would authorize an annual review of whether the territory should benefit from special trade status, forcing the issue.
On Friday, Trump hinted at vetoing the legislation, although that would defy Senate Republican allies.
“I expect him to sign it,” a former trade adviser said. “There are political reasons — he cannot alienate Republicans in the Senate, like Marco Rubio, one of the co-sponsors, when he needs them to defend him on impeachment.”
“But it also adds to his leverage in talks,” the adviser added.
The measure passed unanimously in the Senate and with only one dissenting vote in the House, giving it veto-proof majorities, he added, risking a further humiliating defeat if Trump tried to block it.
Hong Kong has endured months of protests, and bursts of violence, since its government introduced a bill allowing extradition to mainline China.
Local elections on Sunday were marked by high turnout and a landslide victory for pro-democracy candidates.
China has condemned the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act and remains locked in a trade war with Washington.
Trump has tried to tread carefully against that backdrop amid concern that signing the bill could further complicate stalled trade talks.
A former administration official said he expected Trump to sign the legislation but make a conciliatory gesture to Beijing.
“There are ways he can sign it that won’t piss off the Chinese,” he said.
There are precedents. In 1989, President George H.W. Bush issued a strong condemnation of the brutal suppression of demonstrators in Tiananmen Square and suspended high-level meetings before dispatching his national security adviser to smooth over tensions.
Olivia Enos, an Asian studies policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation, said Trump had multiple options that would allow him to walk a fine line: As well as signing or vetoing, he could simply ignore the legislation, which would become law 10 days later.
“There’s no reason why signing a bill promoting democracy in Hong Kong should automatically derail trade negotiations,” she said. “The reality is that China has many interests and reasons why it is at the table, and our criticism is not going to be a reason for them to step away.”
The White House declined to comment on Trump’s plans.
On Sunday, U.S. trade adviser Peter Navarro said White House lawyers were reviewing the bill.
“The president was quite eloquent on Friday about the situation,” he told Fox Business. “So let’s see what happens. It’s the president’s decision.”
Trump avoided giving a definitive answer when he was asked what he planned to do about the legislation.
“Look, we have to stand with Hong Kong, but I’m also standing with President Xi. He’s a friend of mine. He’s an incredible guy. We have to stand,” he said. “But I’d like to see them work it, OK? We have to see them work it out. But I stand with Hong Kong, I stand with freedom, I stand with all of the things that we want him to do.”
