The new congressional panel on countering the Chinese Communist Party is investigating the J. P. Morgan executive who had a cameo in a propaganda video produced by the government of Hong Kong earlier this month. In a letter to the executive, Geoffrey Siebengartner, who also runs the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, CCP select committee chairman Mike Gallagher pressed him for answers on the business group's stances toward the Hong Kong authorities' collaboration with the CCP, citing a National Review report.
"I write to express my deep concern over your appearance in a recent promotional video created by Hong Kong's pro-Beijing government," Gallagher wrote. "The promotional video, which aims to attract foreign businesses, touts that HongKong has a 'sound legal system.' By participating in this video, the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong (AmCham Hong Kong) demonstrated support for and gave credibility for the video's message," Gallagher continued, noting the ongoing "mass show trial" of 47 pro-democracy figures.
In early February, Siebengartner, J. P. Morgan's managing director for corporate responsibility in Asia, appeared in a video unveiled by Hong Kong chief executive John Lee, who was sanctioned by the U.S. government for his role in dismantling the city's autonomy and political freedoms in 2020. Siebengartner's comments in the video only addressed the city's culinary scene and shopping options, but another participant, British Chamber of Commerce head Anne Kerr, hailed Hong Kong's "sound legal system."
Kerr's comments about Hong Kong's legal system fly in the face of assessments by the U.K. and U.S. governments that Beijing has destroyed the rule of law in the city with the imposition of the 2020 National Security Law and the wave of arrests that followed.
While the purpose of the video, and the broader promotional campaign, was to promote tourism and business in Hong Kong following the Covid pandemic and the CCP's wholesale dismantling of the city's relative freedoms in 2020, Hong Kong democracy advocates told National Review that Siebengartner's appearance lends credibility to Beijing's campaign of repression.
"I can't think of one time AmCham, in my nearly 25 years in Hong Kong, was ever seen as contradicting U.S. policy," said Mark Simon, a former senior executive with pro-democracy icon Jimmy Lai's enterprises.
In his letter to Siebengartner, Gallagher specifically cited Simon's comment, warning that, "If this is the case, this video may be interpreted as the U.S. Government quietly retracting its position on the status of rule of law in Hong Kong, and that would have profound implications."
Responding to National Review's request for comment on the earlier report, the State Department only reiterated its longstanding commitment to upholding democracy and fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong, without criticizing Siebengartner's appearance. A spokesperson for the department copied the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong on an email responding to National Review — which strongly suggests that State coordinated with the chamber on its response. For his part, Siebengartner defended his decision to appear in the video in comments to National Review, stating that his group supports "our members' interests and the local community where we live and work."
Gallagher also asks whether the chamber has taken steps to support Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement, and if it has ever complied with the Hong Kong authorities' efforts to implement the 2020 National Security Law. Gallagher asked that Siebengartner respond by February 27.
The letter marks the new China committee's first investigation since the House of Representatives voted to establish it last month — with bipartisan support. Gallagher has said that the committee will scrutinize other instances of inappropriate corporate work with the Chinese regime and that it will seek testimony from Disney and the NBA over controversies relating to their business entanglements in China.
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