Washington ¨C Long divided between those pushing for a hard-line stance and others advocating cautious engagement, U.S. President Donald Trump¡¯s China advisers ¡ª under the shadow of the coronavirus crisis ¡ª appear to have moved closer together on a tougher approach to Beijing.
A test for this emerging consensus will be how it affects the U.S. response to China¡¯s Communist Party rulers proposing stricter national security laws for Hong Kong that have reignited pro-democracy protests in the former British colony.
Trump, who has vacillated between the two camps in his administration, must decide if the United States will preserve Hong Kong¡¯s special status, halt privileged treatment that has helped make it a global financial hub or take lesser actions such as targeted sanctions or tariffs if Beijing goes ahead. His hard-fought trade deal with China could also hang in the balance.
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