EU weighs ‘coordinated package’ of actions to support Hong Kong

European Union governments are poised to approve a “coordinated package” of measures to support Hong Kong in the face of China’s new national-security legislation for the financial hub.

Member-country envoys meeting on Friday in Brussels plan to endorse a framework of possible EU and national actions that range from curbing the export of equipment and technologies used for law enforcement to increasing scholarships for Hong Kong students, according to a draft document dated July 23 and seen by Bloomberg News. It also proposes reviewing asylum and visa arrangements affecting Hong Kong.

The aim is “to express political support for Hong Kong’s autonomy” while stopping short of imposing penalties directly against China, which is the bloc’s No. 2 trading partner. The EU’s response has been tamer than that of the U.K., the former colonial power in Hong Hong, or the U.S., which is stepping up its fight with China on all fronts.