WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday stopped just short of endorsing legislation that would punish violent crackdowns against pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong, a plan that could imperil trade with both the Hong Kong government and China.

In wide-ranging remarks at the State Department, Mr. Pompeo took care to note that the decision on the bill would be made by President Trump and would come “before too long.”

But he said the Trump administration “has been pretty clear about our expectations about how Beijing will treat people throughout their country.”

“We have human rights standards that we apply all across the world, and Hong Kong is no different,” Mr. Pompeo told reporters.