; Whereas people of mainland China and Macau are again barred this year from commemorating the lives lost and the legacy of the 1989 massacre; Whereas, the Government of China continues to view the demands of the Tiananmen protesters, including democracy, transparency, rights protections, and freedom of speech, as threats to the legitimacy of the Chinese Communist Party’s hold on political power; Whereas the people of Hong Kong have commemorated the Tiananmen massacre each year faithfully in large numbers; Whereas the Hong Kong Police Force has refused to authorize the annual candlelight vigil to commemorate Tiananmen this year; Whereas Hong Kong’s guaranteed freedoms and the rule of law have allowed it to be a prosperous bridge between mainland China and the world; Whereas Hong Kong’s autonomy and freedoms have been eroded by the actions of the Government of Hong Kong and the Government of China, particularly over the past several years, with disqualifications of elected members of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council, blocking citizens from running for office, failing to address the petitions of the Hong Kong people, banning a political party advocating Hong Kong independence, and failing to address police excessive use of force; Whereas, the political turmoil in Hong Kong is primarily the result of actions of the Government of Hong Kong and the Government of China and their failure to accommodate or recognize the lawful desire of the people of Hong Kong for preserving their autonomy and democratic rights and privileges, including selection of the chief executive by universal suffrage as provided for in the Basic Law and the Joint Declaration of the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the People’s Republic of China on the Question of Hong Kong, done at Beijing on December 19, 1984 (the Joint Declaration )