Photo taken on July 14, 2020 shows the Golden Bauhinia Square in south China's Hong Kong. Photo:Xinhua

A number of US lawmakers are pushing the Biden administration to sanction 49 Hong Kong officials, judges and prosecutors. The Hong Kong Sanctions Act, a bipartisan bid, was presented by Congresswoman Young Kim, who claimed that the bill aimed to "hold the Hong Kong officials accountable for human rights violations" and "stand with [Hongkongers] facing scrutiny under Beijing's national security law." 

It has been four years since the social turmoil in Hong Kong. Hong Kong society is restoring stability and actively integrating into the overall development of the country. However, the US has always kept its eye on Hong Kong and every now and then it comes out with a statement or bill targeting Hong Kong. This has almost become its "routine action." Li Xiaobing, an expert on Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan affairs from Nankai University, told the Global Times that the US is a country accustomed to dictating others and long-arm jurisdiction, and bullying is embedded in its cultural genes. Therefore, when it comes to sanctioning Hong Kong, US politicians show no difference.

Just as Secretary for Security of Hong Kong Chris Tang Ping-keung said, the US politicians were more akin to the Mafia and local triads. The logic of US politics is no different from that of the Mafia - no morality but only interests. US politicians are trying to use sanctions as a deterrent to create panic among Hong Kong officials, judges and prosecutors, and to create a chaotic political atmosphere in Hong Kong society that they hope to see. They hope it will have a negative impact on the governance of the SAR government and the implementation of the central government's policies. 

As an international financial center, Hong Kong is crucial to the country's future development. The US wants Hong Kong to stay in the global system of its own making and therefore serve the interests of the US. It also hopes that the elites in Hong Kong, including officials, judges and prosecutors, could be ideologically subject to the US. 

Tang Fei, a member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, told the Global Times that the US still views itself as the sole value criterion of politics in the world. No matter which development stage Hong Kong is in, the mentality of US politicians to change Hong Kong will not change and their bossy attitude will persist. This exactly shows that these US politicians are at their wits' end. 

The US politicians use costless bills to pave their way to destabilize Hong Kong. They claim to "stand with Hong Kong people," but they actually stand with criminals, rioters and politicians that create divisions. After all, US politicians view Hong Kong as an anti-China bridgehead. The US pretends to support the so-called democracy, freedom and rule of law, while its ultimate aim is to undermine Hong Kong's stability and contain China.

The turmoil four years ago caused huge damage to Hong Kong. In the end, it was the people of Hong Kong who bore the consequences. The politicians in the US who say they "stand with the people of Hong Kong" stand against the interests of Hong Kong and Hong Kong people. The US has become the biggest destructive factor in Hong Kong's prosperity and stability.

However, although the US has made such petty tricks in Hong Kong, once the National Security Law for Hong Kong was passed, the situation in Hong Kong began to change. This shows that the anti-China and destabilizing forces are feeble, and the US' attempt to control the situation in Hong Kong and use Hong Kong to contain China is destined to be a daydream. The better Hong Kong is integrated into the overall development of the country, the fewer political levers the US and the West will have on Hong Kong.

Chief Executive John Lee vowed during his Policy Address in late October to roll out Article 23 of the Basic Law next year. Li Xiaobing believes that the legislation of Article 23 is a must, which will solidify Hong Kong's legal base. 

"Push forward Article 23 is Hong Kong's constitutional responsibility in fixing loopholes in national security-related laws, and the National Security Law for Hong Kong is a shield provided by the central government. Once this double protection is achieved, the legal system for safeguarding national security in the Hong Kong SAR will be complete," said Li.