declaration expires

The United States has let the national emergency declaration over Hong Kong
expire, lifting some sanctions but maintaining an executive order that
revoked Hong Kong's special trading status.

China's Commerce Ministry had said that the US recently confirmed to China
that the President's Executive Order on Hong Kong Normalization would end.

That *appeared* to be a sign that the city's preferential privileges could be
restored ... but the State Department said only the *declaration* was ended,
while the order QUOTE "otherwise remains in effect."

The US Office of Foreign Assets Control said that it delisted people who were
sanctioned under the order ... adding that people who remain sanctioned under
the Hong Kong Autonomy Act of 2020 have been added to a different sanction
list.

For example, Hong Kong leader John Lee and his predecessor, Carrie Lam, were
removed from the first list but added to the second one.

CNA_JvW