Image Credit: “PRC and Hong Kong flags.” Alan Mak. CC-BY 3.0.
Rising Authoritarianism in Hong Kong Threatens U.S. National Security
Over the past five years, Hong Kong has become a shell of its former self. China’s judicial takeover of the city in 2020 violated the Sino-British Joint Declaration and crushed its once-thriving democracy. This growing grip on Hong Kong subjugates Americans to authoritarianism, increases the risk of transnational repression in the U.S., and fuels an illicit financial hub that supports U.S. adversaries.
The Sino-British Joint Declaration established the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 1984, promising civil autonomy and democracy for 50 years upon its return to China. Since the British handover in 1997, China has repeatedly pushed the boundaries of this agreement. In 2019, Beijing-backed Chief Executive Carrie Lam introduced a bill that would allow criminal extraditions from Hong Kong to China. Millions protested in response, but were met with police brutality from the Hong Kong Police Force.
Ignoring citizens’ demands for universal suffrage and police reform, Beijing then passed two laws to strengthen its grip on Hong Kong. In 2020, the Hong Kong National Security Law (NSL) created a legal framework that imprisons activists China deems guilty of secession, subversion, terrorism, or collusion with foreign forces. This law subdued the city’s pro-democracy movement and opened the doors for CCP rule. In 2024, the Beijing-appointed Hong Kong Legislative Council passed Article 23, the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO), to expand the CCP’s authority over national security investigations and prosecutions. On June 17, 2025, Chief Executive John Lee announced that 332 protestors had been arrested since the enactment of the NSL.
With Hong Kong as its puppet, China now poses three major threats to the United States. First, the NSL and SNSO endanger American citizens and entities operating in Hong Kong. In July 2024, the U.S. government issued an advisory that Hong Kong authorities can and do search, surveil, and seize suspects and data without a warrant. While this theoretically only applies to “national security” matters, in practice, it encompasses anything from activists posting opinions on social media to meeting with diplomats. These two laws also heighten the risk of arrest, expulsion, and interrogation by Hong Kong immigration authorities—especially for U.S. citizens critical or connected to critics of China. John Clancey, a U.S. citizen and Hong Kong lawyer, was the first foreigner to be arrested under the NSL for activism.
Second, the CCP’s control over Hong Kong is likely to further Chinese transnational repression in the United States. The government of China is the leading perpetrator of transnational repression in the U.S. and the world. In April 2023, the Department of Justice shutdown an illegal police station acting on behalf of the Chinese Ministry of Public Security and charged 40 officers of China’s National Police for targeting U.S. individuals. The U.S. will face greater risks from China as Hong Kong begins enforcing the NSL and SNSO extraterritorially. On July 25, the city’s national security police announced 19 warrants and 15 bounties targeting overseas activists—one U.S.-citizen and four U.S. residents—for “subversion.” In the future, China and Hong Kong will likely expand their scope to repress other Hong Kong supporters, pro-democracy protestors, and CCP critics transnationally.
Finally, China uses Hong Kong to support American adversaries, turning the once-trusted global financial center into a hub for CCP sanction and export control evasion. By “laughing off” U.S. sanctions, Chief Executive Lee facilitates Russia’s war efforts and allows firms to sell sanctioned goods to Iran and North Korea on behalf of China. From August to December 2023, Hong Kong provided over $750 million in banned shipments to Russia.
Washington must combat the heightened risks for Americans in Hong Kong, growing threat of transnational repression in the U.S., and the CCP’s continued support to American adversaries. The Department of State, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) should design new advisories and reporting resources to ensure awareness amongst travelers, businesses, and targets of transnational repression. Furthermore, the Department of Commerce and Department of Treasury should thoroughly investigate China’s financial gray zone activities in Hong Kong and implement sanctions against shell companies.
Hong Kong is a crucial pawn for China in global strategic competition. Washington must stay vigilant and address Hong Kong with greater scrutiny and diligence.
