Trump sends a warning to China about Hong Kong in U.N. speech

(Image credit: Don Emmert/Getty Images)

President Trump has mostly been coy about the political unrest in Hong Kong, as the U.S. tries to iron out a trade deal with China. But during his address at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, Trump was more forthright about the situation, providing a statement which could even be considered a warning to Beijing.

Trump said the U.S. is carefully monitoring the anti-government, pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, adding that Washington and the rest of the world expect Beijing and its "great leader" President Xi Jinping to honor their commitment to Hong Kong's freedom and autonomy. "How China chooses to handle the situation will say a great deal about its role in the world in the future," Trump said.

Trump went on to say that the U.S. doesn't seek any conflict with any nation, so there was no suggestion that the U.S. would intervene directly with the protests. Still, the U.N. comments felt more explicit than anything Trump has offered on Hong Kong in the past. Tim O'Donnell

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Explore More

Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.