The U.S. Donald Trump administration classified the Hong Kong government's wanted pursuit of pro-democracy activists operating overseas, including those in the United States, as "transnational repression."
Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State, stated in a release on the 26th (local time), "The United States condemns the Hong Kong government for announcing new arrest warrants and bounties targeting an additional 15 overseas activists, including individuals residing in the United States, on July 25."
He continued, "This action targeting Hongkongers exercising their fundamental freedoms outside of Hong Kong is a form of transnational repression," and emphasized, "We will not tolerate the Hong Kong government's attempts to apply the Hong Kong National Security Law to silence or intimidate Americans or anyone on U.S. soil."
He added, "The Hong Kong government continues to undermine the autonomy promised to Hongkongers by China after it took over Hong Kong from Britain in 1997. Freedom of expression and political discourse are core values of America, and the Trump administration will continue to advocate for them."
The day before, Hong Kong police classified 15 pro-democracy activists operating overseas as forces attempting to subvert state power, affiliated with a group called the "Hong Kong Congress." They subsequently issued wanted notices for them, offering a bounty of 200,000 Hong Kong dollars (about 3.5 million won) per person.