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United States-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992

Public Law 102-383 · S. 1731 · 102nd Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Oct 5, 1992 · International Affairs

Sponsor: Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)

Cosponsors (29): Sen. Frank Murkowski,

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • SenateVoice vote
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

United States-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992 - Title I: Policy - Expresses the sense of the Congress that the following should be U.S. policy with respect to the U.S. relationship with Hong Kong: (1) the United States should play an active role in maintaining Hong Kong's confidence and prosperity, its role as an international financial center, and the mutually beneficial ties between the United States and Hong Kong; (2) the United States should seek to establish and expand direct bilateral ties and agreements with Hong Kong in economic, aviation, shipping, communications, tourism, cultural, sport, and other areas; (3) the United States should seek to maintain after June 30, 1997, the U.S. Consulate-General in Hong Kong and other U.S. official and semi-official organizations; (4) the United States should invite Hong Kong to maintain, after such date, its official and semi-official missions in the United States and to open other missions; (5) the United States should recognize passports and travel documents issued after such date by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; and (6) the Chinese Government's exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong should not affect treatment of Hong Kong residents who apply for visas to visit or reside permanently in the United States, so long as such treatment is consistent with the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Expresses the sense of the Congress that the following should be U.S. policy with respect to Hong Kong after June 30, 1997: (1) the United States should support Hong Kong's participation in multilateral conferences, agreements, and organizations in which it is eligible to participate; (2) the United States should continue to fulfill its obligations to Hong Kong under international agreements, so long as Hong Kong reciprocates; and (3) the United States should respect Hong Kong's status as a separate customs territory and as a contracting party to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

Expresses the sense of the Congress that the following should continue to be U.S. policy after June 30, 1997, with respect to commerce between the United States and Hong Kong: (1) the United States should seek to maintain and expand economic and trade relations with Hong Kong and should continue to treat Hong Kong as a separate territory in economic and trade matters; (2) the United States should continue to negotiate directly with Hong Kong to conclude bilateral economic agreements; (3) the United States should continue to grant Hong Kong nondiscriminatory trade treatment (most-favored-nation status) and to recognize certificates of origin for manufactured goods issued by the Administrative Region; (4) the United States should continue to allow the U.S. dollar to be freely exchanged with the Hong Kong dollar and U.S. businesses should be encouraged to continue to operate in Hong Kong; (5) the United States should continue to support Hong Kong's access to sensitive technologies controlled under the Coordinating Committee for Multilateral Export Controls so long as such technologies are protected from improper use or export; (6) the United States should encourage Hong Kong to continue to develop a framework which provides protection for intellectual property rights; (7) the United States should negotiate a bilateral investment treaty with Hong Kong; and (8) the change in sovereignty over Hong Kong should not affect ownership in property held by Hong Kong persons in the United States.

Expresses the sense of the Congress that the following should be U.S. policy after June 30, 1997, with respect to transportation from Hong Kong: (1) the United States should continue to recognize ships and airplanes registered in and by Hong Kong and negotiate air service agreements directly with Hong Kong; (2) U.S. commercial ships should remain free to port in Hong Kong; (3) the United States should recognize licenses issued by Hong Kong to Hong Kong airlines; (4) the United States should recognize certificates issued by Hong Kong to U.S. air carriers for specified services; and (5) the United States should negotiate with the Administrative Region to renew or amend all air service agreements existing on June 30, 1997, and to conclude new air service agreements affecting all flights to, from, or through Hong Kong which do not involve travel to, from, or through China.

Expresses the sense of the Congress that the following should continue to be U.S. policy after June 30, 1997, with respect to cultural and educational exchanges with Hong Kong: (1) the United States should seek to maintain and expand U.S.-Hong Kong relations and exchanges in culture, education, science, and academic research; (2) Hong Kong should be accorded separate status as a full partner in the Fulbright Program; and (3) the Librarian of Congress, upon the request of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong and acting through the Congressional Research Service, should seek to expand educational and informational ties with the Council.

Title II: The Status of Hong Kong in United States Law - Continues to apply U.S. laws to Hong Kong after July 1, 1997, as such laws applied prior to such date. Approves the continuation in force of all treaties entered into by the United States and Hong Kong before such date.

Directs the President to report to the Congress whenever he determines that: (1) Hong Kong is not legally competent to carry out its obligations under an international agreement; or (2) the continuation of such obligations is not appropriate under the circumstances.

Authorizes the President, upon determining that Hong Kong is not sufficiently autonomous to justify treatment under a U.S. law different from that accorded China, to suspend such application of the law.

Title III: Reporting Provisions - Directs the Secretary of State to report to the Speaker of the House and the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on conditions in Hong Kong of interest to the United States.

Provides that whenever a report is transmitted to the Congress on a country-by-country basis there shall be included a separate subreport on Hong Kong under the heading of the state that exercises sovereignty over Hong Kong.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

  • Foreign Affairs Committee · House · markup by, referred toSubcommittee: Europe and the Middle East Subcommittee; International Economic Policy and Trade Subcommittee; East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee; Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations Subcommittee
  • Foreign Relations Committee · Senate · markup by, referred to, reported by
Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 25 actions.

  1. Oct 5, 1992Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 102-383.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Sep 25, 1992PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Sep 17, 1992Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to the House amendments by Voice Vote.
  5. Aug 11, 1992FloorFloor · The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
  6. FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  7. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
  8. FloorFloor · Mr. Faleomavaega moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  9. Aug 5, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Foreign Affairs Committee
  10. Jul 22, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Markup by International Economic Policy and Trade Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
  11. CommitteeCommittee · Reported by International Economic Policy and Trade Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
  12. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
  13. CommitteeCommittee · Reported by East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
  14. CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
  15. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
  16. Jun 10, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Europe and the Middle East Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
  17. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to International Economic Policy and Trade Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
  18. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
  19. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
  20. May 27, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Foreign Affairs Committee
  21. May 21, 1992FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Voice Vote.
  22. May 7, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Foreign Relations Committee
  23. CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Foreign Relations Committee
  24. Sep 20, 1991CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Foreign Relations Committee
  25. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.