UPDATE - US House Passes Hong Kong Human Rights Act, Trump Expected To Sign

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st November, 2019) The US House of Representatives on Wednesday voted overwhelmingly in favor of two measures aimed at supporting pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong, sending the bills to President Donald Trump for signature.

Both measures were unanimously approved by the Senate on Tuesday.

The House voted 417-1 in favor of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, a measure that allows for sanctions against Chinese and Hong Kong officials over alleged rights abuses in the territory.

Trump is expected to sign the legislation, a person familiar with the matter told Bloomberg.

The measure could also result in the removal of special US trade benefits that help the Chinese enclave maintain its role as a global financial center, according to the draft text.

In addition, the legislation would require Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to annually certify Hong Kong's semi-autonomous status to maintain US trade preferences.

The House approved a second measure 417-0 on Wednesday to ban exports of crowd control weapons to Hong Kong police.

With a veto-proof majority, both measures could become law without President Donald Trump's signature.

Trump has avoided publicly backing the Hong Kong protests.

In recent months, activists have roiled Hong Kong with demonstrations demanding that Beijing honor its promise to maintain the territory's semi-autonomous status for 50 years following Britain's 1997 transfer of Hong Kong to Chinese rule.

China strongly condemned the US Senate's passage of the measures, accusing US lawmakers of meddling in the East Asian country's internal affairs.

Large-scale protests, triggered by a now-withdrawn controversial extradition bill, have been ongoing in Hong Kong since early June. The police have detained nearly 4,500 people since and more than 1,500 residents and 400 police officers have been hospitalized after sustaining wounds in clashes.

Less people are now taking to the streets after the extradition bill was withdrawn, but the protests remain violent and the demonstrators have expanded their demands for the government.

Beijing has repeatedly stated that the situation in Hong Kong is a result of foreign interference in China's domestic affairs and expressed full support for the actions of the local authorities.