The devil is in the details, and there are plenty of details suggesting that the United States will not be successful in punishing China for its new national security law as applied to Hong Kong. American businesses are likely to be hurt most.

Both human rights and the rule of law are protected in the SAR, even as the United States, with its long-arm jurisdiction and unilateral sanctions, returns to Cold War cliches that are not good, either for itself or for others.

Washington’s plea for its allies to condemn China’s actions in Hong Kong largely fell on deaf ears. An embarrassed Trump administration is now taking an even tougher stance on Taiwan – a decision with potentially lethal consequences.

The 2020 Hong Kong Policy Act Report demonstrates that the current administration lacks nuance and understanding of the current region’s needs.

The national security law proposed by the NPC is firmly grounded in law and will benefit of the region, notwithstanding the willful distortions of opponents who seek independence.

Some people worry that the legislation will erode freedom of speech, press and assembly and damage the judiciary. Similar dire predictions never materialized after the handover, and these new ones will likewise prove unfounded.

There is a divide among China hawks in the US, evident in the mixed messages of Trump’s May 29 speech. Concessions are made to two contending schools of thought.

Despite the twisted perceptions of domestic radicals and the disruptive agenda of foreign forces in the SAR, the benefits of the new law are clear.

While some members of the international community have jumped to the conclusion that Bejing’s motives are nefarious, they should wait and see before bad-mouthing it. The need for new legislation is clear.

The demonstrations in Hong Kong reflect the fact that those who grow up in a free society usually want to continue living in one. Whatever the impact of a cradle-to-grave propaganda system in the PRC, it won’t work in Hong Kong—or Taiwan.