International desk: US President Donald Trump has signed an order to end preferential treatment for Hong Kong, as his administration adopts an increasingly tough stance on China.
“Hong Kong will now be treated the same as mainland China,” the president told reporters at the White House.
Trump said he had also signed bipartisan legislation to impose sanctions on Chinese officials who crack down on rights in Hong Kong, BBC reported.
The ex-British colony enjoys unique freedoms not seen in mainland China.
But many people in the territory fear a new security law imposed by Beijing will bring an end to Hong Kong's special status, agreed under a 1984 pact between China and the UK.
