Alex Lo

Washington finally admits it has been interfering in Hong Kong

Members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee have blasted Michael Pack, the new czar of the US government’s global media services, for stymieing US influence operations in the city

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A student journalist is subject to a stop and search by riot police on Portland street in Mongkok in Hong Kong, China. Photo: Getty Images

Alex Lo

Published: 9:05pm, 25 Sep 2020Updated: 4:26pm, 26 Sep 2020

American politicians sometimes become so sanctimonious they inadvertently admit to the dirty laundry of their government.

In a bipartisan grilling of Michael Pack, the new head of the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), in the House Foreign Affairs Committee, members of Congress finally owned up to the significant role agents of the American government and official media had played in fomenting unrest in Hong Kong, not only during last year’s protests and riots, but many years before that.

Time magazine had already published an expose in late June about the previous activities of US agencies in Hong Kong and Pack’s house-cleaning efforts, quite unrelated to the city. And this is the government that claims China has been trying to interfere in US domestic politics, including the coming November presidential election!

The House committee blasted Pack for sacking several top US government experts in countering Chinese propaganda, withholding funds for anti-surveillance tools for protesters, and harming American efforts to support the democracy movement in Hong Kong.

In other words, Pack sacked a few top US official propagandists and stopped funding the development and provision of cyber tools for activists against the Hong Kong government, including the police.

“I believe his [Pack’s] actions damaged support during the height of unrest in Hong Kong,” said Texas congressman Michael McCaul.

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