Senators Ask State, Commerce to Review Hong Kong-Related Export Controls

A bipartisan group of senators is concerned that U.S. export controls are not strict enough to stop sensitive technologies from being sent to China and asked the administration to review the controls. In a Sept. 10 letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, four senators suggested that China may be using Hong Kong to “steal or otherwise acquire” critical technologies such as artificial intelligence, mass surveillance tools and advanced robotics.

“China is using these technologies not only to bolster its own industries, but also to advance its military capabilities and to infringe on the fundamental liberties of its citizens,” wrote Sens. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, Bob Menendez, D-N.J., Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio.

The senators also said U.S. export control laws may allow U.S. people or companies to “inappropriately” export police equipment to Hong Kong, which could be used to “suppress legitimate civil dissent.” Hong Kong police have recently targeted protestors with tear gas, rubber bullets and batons, the letter said, all of which are banned from being exported to Hong Kong from the United Kingdom. The U.S. should adopt the same export restrictions, the senators said.

“This combination of factors demands an expeditious review of our export control regime with Hong Kong both to safeguard U.S. interests relevant to strategic technologies as well as to protect the Hong Kong people from police brutality and other abuses of their rights,” the letter said.

The senators asked Pompeo and Ross for “detailed information about the current status of our export control regime,” including an “assessment … on whether our export controls are sufficient to safeguard U.S. interests, and an identification of any gaps.” The senators also requested an update on any interagency conversations on revising export controls on Hong Kong “as a means to address China's continued erosion of Hong Kong's autonomy.” They asked for a response by Oct. 1.