Trump Allows National Emergency Declaration for Hong Kong to Expire

President Donald Trump allowed a national emergency declaration concerning Hong Kong, originally established in 2020, to expire on July 17, 2026. While the expiration terminates the national emergency portions of Executive Order 13936 and removes some sanctions and trade restrictions, U.S. officials clarified that Hong Kong's preferential treatment in trade and export controls will not be automatically restored.

The United States Department of State and the Department of the Treasury maintain that Hong Kong is no longer sufficiently autonomous to justify differential treatment from mainland China. Sanctions remain in effect for 38 of 49 affected individuals under the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019 and the Hong Kong Autonomy Act of 2020. Consequently, officials such as John Lee and Carrie Lam were moved to a different sanction list to ensure continuity.

The Government of China and the Hong Kong government welcomed the decision, characterizing it as a positive shift in U.S. policy. The Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China described the move as an important step in fulfilling the consensus reached during bilateral economic and trade consultations in Madrid. Officials in Beijing viewed the adjustment as a sign of improving ties ahead of an expected visit to the U.S. by President Xi Jinping.