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According to a Financial Times article, US lawmakers of the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China introduced a bill that would require the US Secretary of State to certify every year that Hong Kong remains autonomous from China. If there is no certification of that autonomy, Hong Kong would lose trade privileges with the US that do not apply to mainland China.

While the protests in Hong Kong likely lead to Hong Kong’s leader, Carrie Lam to delay passage of the extradition bill, it is unclear whether this bill had any impact on Carrie Lam’s decision.

Hong Kong’s government argues the extradition bill is necessary to close a loophole that allowed criminal fugitives to remain in the territory to avoid criminal prosecution.