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Title 22 — Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-73not60

§5721 Continued Application of United States Law

Title 22 › Chapter 66— UNITED STATES-HONG KONG POLICY › Subchapter II— STATUS OF HONG KONG IN UNITED STATES LAW › § 5721

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

U.S. laws must keep applying to Hong Kong on and after July 1, 1997 in the same way they did before that date, unless another law or an executive order under section 5722 changes that. Congress approves that treaties and international agreements made before November 27, 2019 between the United States and Hong Kong, or made before that date between the United States and the United Kingdom and applied to Hong Kong, stay in force after July 1, 1997 until ended by law. If the President decides Hong Kong cannot legally meet a treaty duty, or that it is not appropriate to keep Hong Kong’s treaty rights or duties, the President must report that decision to Congress under section 5731.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §5721

Foreign Relations and Intercourse — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Notwithstanding any change in the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong, the laws of the United States shall continue to apply with respect to Hong Kong, on and after July 1, 1997, in the same manner as the laws of the United States were applied with respect to Hong Kong before such date unless otherwise expressly provided by law or by Executive order under section 5722 of this title.
(b)For all purposes, including actions in any court in the United States, the Congress approves the continuation in force on and after July 1, 1997, of all treaties and other international agreements, including multilateral conventions, entered into before November 27, 2019, between the United States and Hong Kong, or entered into before November 27, 2019, between the United States and the United Kingdom and applied to Hong Kong, unless or until terminated in accordance with law. If in carrying out this subchapter, the President determines that Hong Kong is not legally competent to carry out its obligations under any such treaty or other international agreement, or that the continuation of Hong Kong’s obligations or rights under any such treaty or other international agreement is not appropriate under the circumstances, such determination shall be reported to the Congress in accordance with section 5731 of this title.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2019—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 116–76 substituted “November 27, 2019” for “such date” in two places.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 5721

Title 22 — Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60