US committed to securing trade deal with China by year’s end but can’t turn blind eye to Hong Kong violence, top official says

“We were hoping to have deal done by the end of the year. I still think that’s possible,” Robert O’Brien said during a security conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Saturday.

“At the same time, we’re not going to turn a blind eye to what’s happening in Hong Kong or what’s happening in the South China Sea, or other areas of the world where we’re concerned about China’s activity.”

O’Brien, Donald Trump’s fourth security advisor, said it “would be a good sign” if Sunday’s local elections in Hong Kong passed without clashes between pro-democracy protesters and police. 

Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/us-warns-chinese-aggression-hong-kong-derail-trade-talks-nsa-2019-11