A more stable US-Hong Kong relationship need not come at the expense of domestic security or ties with the Global South or the mainland
3-MIN READ3-MINBrian Y. S. WongBrian Wong is an assistant professor in philosophy at the University of Hong Kong, and a Rhodes Scholar and adviser on strategy for the Oxford Global Society. Published: 8:30pm, 6 Aug 2026The recent decision by the US government not to extend its Hong Kong-related state of emergency saw the effective lifting of sanctions on nine mainland Chinese and Hong Kong officials. At a Ministry of Commerce press briefing, a spokesman called it “an important step in fulfilling the consensus” reached in negotiations.Some view the move as a part of the wider attempt at stabilising bilateral relations after US President Donald Trump’s visit to China in May and ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s expected reciprocal visit to the United States this September. The latter would coincide with the UN General Debate.Some have cautioned against reading too much into the move. The trend in Sino-American relations remains one of controlled decoupling with particular emphasis on insulating their respective sensitive technology spheres from the other.
The foreign policy establishment in Washington appears convinced China poses a formidable and systemic threat to American interests. Many in Beijing have come to an equally ominous conclusion that a confrontation between the two powers is inevitable.
