Linking HK with trade deal not in Washington's favor

Editor's note: US Vice-President Mike Pence said in an address at the Detroit Economic Club on Monday: "For the United States to make a deal with China, Beijing needs to honor its commitments - beginning with the commitment China made in 1984 to respect the integrity of Hong Kong's laws through the Sino-British Joint Declaration." China Radio International comments:

This is Washington's most preemptory expression of its intention to link Hong Kong with a trade deal.

To begin with, the Joint Declaration is a historical one between the Chinese and British governments for the smooth handover of Hong Kong.