Nixon Peabody LLP

  • People
  • Capabilities
  • Insights
  • About

Trending Topics

    • People
    • Capabilities
    • Insights
    • About
    • Locations
    • Events
    • Careers
    • Alumni

    Practices

    View All

    • Affordable Housing
    • Community Development Finance
    • Corporate & Finance
    • Cybersecurity & Privacy
    • Environmental
    • Franchising & Distribution
    • Government Investigations & White Collar Defense
    • Healthcare
    • Intellectual Property
    • International Services
    • Labor & Employment
    • Litigation
    • Private Wealth & Advisory
    • Project Finance
    • Public Finance
    • Real Estate
    • Regulatory & Government Relations

    Industries

    View All

    • Cannabis
    • Consumer
    • Energy
    • Entertainment
    • Financial Services
    • Healthcare
    • Higher Education
    • Infrastructure
    • Manufacturing
    • Non Profit
    • Real Estate
    • Technology

    Value-Added Services

    View All

    • Alternative Fee Arrangements

      Developing innovative pricing structures and alternative fee agreement models that deliver additional value for our clients.

    • Continuing Education

      Advancing professional knowledge and offering credits for attorneys, staff and other professionals.

    • Crisis Advisory

      Helping clients respond correctly when a crisis occurs.

    • DEI Strategic Services

      Providing our clients with legal, strategic, and practical advice to make transformational changes in their organizations.

    • eDiscovery

      Leveraging law and technology to deliver sound solutions.

    • Global Services

      Delivering seamless service through partnerships across the globe.

    • Innovation

      Leveraging leading-edge technology to guide change and create seamless, collaborative experiences for clients and attorneys.

    • IPED

      Industry-leading conferences focused on affordable housing, tax credits, and more.

    • Legal Project Management

      Providing actionable information to support strategic decision-making.

    • Legally Green

      Teaming with clients to advance sustainable projects, mitigate the effects of climate change, and protect our planet.

    • Nixon Peabody Trust Company

      Offering a range of investment management and fiduciary services.

    • NP Capital Connector

      Bringing together companies and investors for tomorrow’s new deals.

    • NP Second Opinion

      Offering fresh insights on cases that are delayed, over budget, or off-target from the desired resolution.

    • NP Trial

      Courtroom-ready lawyers who can resolve disputes early on clients’ terms or prevail at trial before a judge or jury.

    • Social Impact

      Creating positive impact in our communities through increasing equity, access, and opportunity.

    1. Home
    2. Insights
    3. Alerts
    4. No immediate changes as the U.S. contemplates Hong Kong’s trade and commercial statusAlerts

    Alert / Asia-Pacific Alert

    No immediate changes as the U.S. contemplates Hong Kong’s trade and commercial status

    May 27, 2020

    Share

    By David Kaufman, David Cheng, John Sandweg and Rachel Winkler

    How will the recent U.S. State Department announcement impact Hong Kong?

    On May 27, United State Secretary of State Michael Pompeo announced in a communication to Congress:

    The State Department is required by the Hong Kong Policy Act to assess the autonomy of the territory from China. After careful study of developments over the reporting period, I certified to Congress today that Hong Kong does not continue to warrant treatment under United States laws in the same manner as U.S. laws were applied to Hong Kong before July 1997.

    The statement could impact the special trade and commercial status Hong Kong has had with the United States for the past 23 years, even as the territory became part of the Peoples Republic of China.

    Is there an immediate impact?

    No. The statement does not have any automatic repercussions. While the Secretary’s statement references the 1992 Hong Kong Policy Act, the impetus for his statement was the 2019 Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act (HKHRDA). The 2019 Act required the State Department to evaluate Hong Kong’s autonomous status annually.

    What is next?

    The Trump Administration could take steps to modify the trade and other economic relations between the U.S. and Hong Kong. However, the Administration is not required to do so. The Administration could also issue specific sanctions on trade or other actions against certain individuals. Those individual actions could, under the HKHRDA and other authorities, include asset freezes and visa bans.

    How is Hong Kong’s status now different from the rest of China?

    The U.S. has a special trade relationship with Hong Kong, as the region is not impacted by the same tariff, trade restrictions, and sanctions as the Chinese mainland. In addition, it is generally easier for individuals to travel between the U.S. and Hong Kong.

    Nixon Peabody will continue to monitor the U.S./China relationship, including the trade and commercial status of Hong Kong, and provide guidance to clients as new developments emerge.

    Locations

    Hong Kong

    Practices

    International ServicesInternational Trade, Transportation & MaritimeChina

    Insights And Happenings

    • Alert

      China unveils new export control framework

      Oct 21, 2020
    • Alert

      U.S. looks at redrawing its relationship with Hong Kong

      May 29, 2020

    Subscribe to stay informed of the latest legal news, alerts, and business trends.Subscribe

    • People
    • Capabilities
    • Insights
    • About
    • Locations
    • Events
    • Careers
    • Alumni
    • © 2023 Nixon Peabody. All rights reserved
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Statement of Client Rights
    • Supplier Diversity Program
    • Nixon Peabody International LLC
    • PAL