Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

In his Tuesday press briefing, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo took a moment to once again publicly declare the Trump administration’s solidarity with Hong Kong and support for China’s “one country, two systems” agreement.

Pompeo congratulated Hong Kong on their “free, fair and peaceful” elections. Hong Kong citizens recently turned out in record numbers to overwhelmingly elect a majority pro-democracy governing council. The election is seen as a sign that China is losing its grip on the island state. Pompeo’s direct and positive acknowledgment of the elections is most certainly aimed at the Chinese government as a reminder that Americans continue to monitor the situation.

It should also be noted that on Tuesday, Trump announced we are “in the final throes” of what he described as “one of the most important trade deals ever” with China.

.@SecPompeo congratulates #HongKong on free, fair and peaceful elections, and underscores U.S. support for democracy in Hong Kong. pic.twitter.com/DYNipERyyK

— Department of State (@StateDept) November 26, 2019

President Trump on China: "We're in the final throes of a very important deal, I guess you could say one of the most important deals in trade ever." pic.twitter.com/EsEfRPYET1

— The Hill (@thehill) November 26, 2019