'No Special Privileges': Trump Revokes Hong Kong's Trade Benefits, Imposes Large Tariffs

China is striking back after President Trump took official action to punish it for strong-arming Hong Kong's new security law.

The president made the announcement Tuesday...first conveying that he had signed the Hong Kong Autonomy Act into law which passed Congress unanimously.

"This law gives my administration powerful new tools to hold responsible the individuals and the entities involved in extinguishing Hong Kong's freedom," Trump said.

He went further, signing an executive order, revoking Hong Kong's trade benefits and imposing large tariffs on China.

"Hong Kong will now be treated the same as mainland China," Trump said.  "No special privileges, no special economic treatment, and no export of sensitive technologies."

The Chinese Foreign Ministry fired back, calling the act a violation of international law while interfering in the country's internal affairs.  

"The U.S. side's attempts to obstruct the implementation of Hong Kong's national security law will never succeed," a ministry spokesperson said.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo disagrees, saying U.S. pressure on China is already having an impact.

"If China treats Hong Kong as one nation in a single system so must we," Pompeo said.  

"General Secretary Xi Jing Ping made a choice to violate China's promises to Hong Kong.  He didn't have to do it, he made that choice.  We have to deal with China as it is not as we wish it to be."

Wednesday Pompeo announced the State Department will impose visa restrictions on certain employees of Chinese technology companies like Huawei that provide support for regimes engaging in human rights violations and abuses around the world.

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