# Summary
The Hong Kong Policy Act of 2024 overhauls U.S. policy toward Hong Kong in response to Beijing's erosion of the territory's autonomy and freedoms since 1997. The bill treats Hong Kong the same as mainland China for most U.S. laws covering arms sales, export controls, and technology transfers, ending the special treatment Hong Kong had previously received. However, the President can make case-by-case exceptions for national security reasons. Congress finds that China has broken commitments to maintain Hong Kong's "one country, two systems" status and has used security laws to suppress pro-democracy activists, independent media, and civil liberties.
The legislation authorizes $5 million annually through 2030 for programs supporting democracy, human rights, and internet freedom in Hong Kong, and creates a new Hong Kong Internet Freedom Program to develop tools bypassing censorship. It requires annual State Department reports on Hong Kong's human rights conditions, business risks, and Beijing's security law enforcement. The bill expands immigration pathways for Hong Kongers fleeing repression, including temporary protected status for five years, a new visa program for highly skilled residents (up to 5,000 per year), and refugee resettlement for political prisoners and activists. It also extends an existing ban on weapons sales to Hong Kong police through 2034 and extends sanctions authorities by five years.
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