China approves Hong Kong national security law

China’s National People’s Congress made an expected cut to Hong Kong’s autonomy on Thursday. The new security law bans sedition, foreign interference, and secession against the Chinese government. It also will allow security forces from China to operate in Hong Kong. Pro-democracy protesters rejected the move as an attempt to stifle dissent.

How will this affect Hong Kong’s relationship with the United States? U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday that Hong Kong no longer retains enough independence to warrant preferential trade benefits. “No reasonable person can assert today that Hong Kong maintains a high degree of autonomy from China,” he said. Hong Kong could soon face the same tariffs and economic treatment from the United States as mainland China.

Dig deeper: Read Erica Kwong’s report on China’s renewed crackdown in Hong Kong.