United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced, on June 29, that the U.S. will end defense exports to Hong Kong in a bid to protect American national security as tensions between China and the U.S. continue to intensify. With Beijing passing the national security law, America ended exports of U.S.-origin defense equipment and will imply the same restrictions on the country's defense and dual-use technologies to Hong Kong, just like it does for China, Pompeo said in a recently released statement.

Pompeo pointed out that the United States has no choice but to take this action to defend national security, adding that exports of controlled items to mainland China or Hong Kong are not distinguishable anymore. He explained that America is gearing up to bar exports of U.S. defense and dual-use technologies to Hong Kong.

This decision marks the Trump administration's first step to overturn the special-status trade relationship between America and Hong Kong and the verdict that Hong Kong was no longer autonomous from China after Beijing imposed a new national security law for Hong Kong in May. Pompeo warned of the equipment given to Beijing's People's Liberation Army, CNN reported.

Noting that the People's Liberation Army is focused on upholding the dictatorship of the Chinese Communist Party, Pompeo said the U.S. can't risk allowing these items to fall into its hands at any cost. Without divulging more details, he said additional measures will be taken in this matter.

Pompeo admitted that the U.S. is not happy to take this action, describing the move as a result of Beijing violating its own commitments under the U.N.-registered Sino-British Joint Declaration. The aforesaid actions target the regime, not the people of China, he clarified.

The move comes as Beijing starts treating Hong Kong as One Country, One System. Pompeo said the United States is checking other authorities and will take more measures to reflect the reality on the ground in Hong Kong. Last month, Pompeo had confirmed to Congress that Hong Kong has a high degree of autonomy from China.

That decision was followed by Beijing's move to introduce controversial national security legislation that he deemed as a disastrous decision. US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross has also confirmed that there will be a suspension of the export license for Hong Kong. On June 19, the State Department also restricted entry of officials responsible for human rights abuses in Hong Kong in the United States, India Today reported.