Hong Kong protests Biden extension of deportation protection

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong has protested President Joe Biden’s two-year extension of a program that protects residents of the semi-autonomous Chinese city living in the U.S. from deportation, accusing Washington of “demonstrating sinister intentions and hegemonic bullying.” An unidentified government spokesperson was quoted Friday as saying the U.S. had “wantonly” smeared Hong Kong’s National Security Law, which was imposed on the city by Beijing in 2020 as part of a sweeping crackdown on the democratic movement that has seen leading opposition figures jailed or voluntarily exiled. Biden first authorized the program, the Deferred Enforced Departure for Certain Hong Kong Citizens, in August 2021 for 18 months. It was set to expire on Feb. 5 but has been extended until January 2025.