DID Press: Beijing’s top diplomat in Hong Kong summoned the senior American consul this weekend in response to a U.S. government security alert tied to sweeping changes in Hong Kong’s national security regulations.
According to a statement from China’s foreign ministry office in the city, Commissioner Cui Jianchun met with U.S. Consul General Julie Eadeh on March 27 to lodge a formal protest and express “strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition” to the alert, urging Washington to end what Beijing called interference in China’s internal affairs.
The dispute stems from amendments to Hong Kong’s national security enforcement rules, now criminalizing refusal to provide passwords or decryption assistance for electronic devices when requested during national security investigations — a provision that could affect any individual in the territory, including foreign nationals.
In response, the U.S. Consulate General in Hong Kong issued a March 26 safety advisory warning American citizens of potential legal risks under the new rule and urging them to contact the consulate if detained.
Beijing has not publicly detailed any further diplomatic steps, and the U.S. consulate has yet to issue a formal response to China’s protest.