Careers

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Experience

Innovation

Interactive Maps

Locations

About

Pages

Meet our team of innovators
Ask us how we do it

Professionals

Insights

Services

Thompson Hine LLP, a full-service business law firm with approximately 400 lawyers in 11 offices, was ranked number 1 in the category “Most innovative North American law firms: New working models” by The Financial Times and was 1 of 7 firms shortlisted for The American Lawyer’s inaugural Legal Services Innovation Award. The firm has been recognized by the National Law Journal as a Legal Technology Trailblazer and featured by Bloomberg for its innovative service delivery models, which drive accuracy and predictability. The firm’s commitment to innovation is embodied in Thompson Hine SmartPaTHTM – a smarter way to work – predictable, efficient and aligned with client goals. For more information, please visit ThompsonHine.com and ThompsonHine.com/SmartPaTH.

Home | Thompson Hine LLP

Atlanta

Chicago

Cincinnati

Cleveland

Columbus

Dayton

Los Angeles

Minneapolis

New York

Silicon Valley

Washington, D.C.

On October 14, 2020, pursuant to the Hong Kong Autonomy Act (HKAA), the State Department submitted to Congress a <a href="https://www.state.gov/identification-of-foreign-persons-involved-in-the-erosion-of-the-obligations-of-china-under-the-joint-declaration-or-the-basic-law/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">report</a> identifying foreign persons &ldquo;who are materially contributing to, have materially contributed to, or attempt to materially contribute to the failure of the People&rsquo;s Republic of China (China) to meet its obligations under the Sino-British Joint Declaration or Hong Kong&rsquo;s Basic Law.&rdquo; For background, see <a href="https://www.thompsonhinesmartrade.com/2020/07/president-trump-signs-the-hong-kong-autonomy-act-and-issues-executive-order-on-hong-kong-normalization/">Update of July 16, 2020</a>. The report identifies 10 Chinese and Hong Kong government officials whose actions under the recently implemented National Security Law have undermined freedoms of assembly, speech, press, or the rule of law, and reduced the autonomy of Hong Kong. The report notes recent disturbing developments in Hong Kong, including the arrest of opposition lawmakers and peaceful protestors, the editing of textbooks to remove references to civil disobedience and separation of powers in Hong Kong, and arrest warrants issued for statements made supporting democracy in Hong Kong. It also cites the denial of visas to those who could be considered critical of the administration, arrests on &ldquo;spurious&rdquo; charges to limit international travel, and Chinese state-owned media suggestions that Hong Kong residents meeting with foreign diplomats could be subject to &ldquo;collusion&rdquo; charges under the National Security Law.
The report identifies each foreign person and provides an explanation for why each individual was identified and a description of the activity that resulted in their identification. On August 7, 2020, the Treasury Department&rsquo;s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on these same individuals and placed them on the Specially Designated National (SDN) List. See <a href="https://www.thompsonhinesmartrade.com/2020/08/u-s-sanctions-hong-kong-officials-for-undermining-hong-kongs-autonomy-china-quickly-retaliates/">Update of August 10, 2020</a>. OFAC has further noted that the HKAA requires blocking sanctions on persons identified by the State Department and that the Treasury secretary must (within 30-60 days thereafter) identify &ndash; and potentially sanction &ndash; any foreign financial institution that knowingly conducts significant transactions with such identified foreign persons.

State Department Issues Hong Kong Autonomy Act Report

Services