Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam says the next US president should not interfere in Hong Kong's matters

Via LBC.CO.UK
Via LBC.CO.UK

Leader Carrie Lam of Hong Kong said that whoever wins the US presidential election should put an end to interference in her city's internal affairs and China as a whole.

She accused the Trump administration of interfering repeatedly over the past year, citing US sanctions against officials, including herself, and the suspension of Hong Kong's previously granted special trading conditions.

"That is totally unreasonable," she said, wrapping up a four-day visit to Beijing at a news conference.

"I hope that they will return to normalcy and accept that mutual respect and cooperation must be the basis of the relationship."

Earlier this year, the US took issue with China's enactment of a Hong Kong national security law that was designed in part to snuff out pro-democracy protests that rocked the city last year for months.

The Trump administration supported democracy activists who said that the law ended the "one country, two systems" framework under which, given a high degree of autonomy over local affairs, Hong Kong is part of China.

After pitched battles between demonstrators and police during protests last year, Ms. Lam said the national security law was an efficient deterrent.

Businesses seen as pro-Beijing were attacked by some more radical protestors and set fires in the streets.

In order to get the attention of a government that was ignoring their demands, they said the escalating tactics were necessary.

Ms. Lam said, "Hong Kong has regained stability and has not seen any large-scale violent incidents."

"With this stable environment, we can concentrate on economic growth and improving the lives of people."

Ms. Lam met with a senior Chinese Communist Party official earlier on Friday who endorsed her rule, saying that her government had restored order and revived the economy.

Vice-Premier Han Zheng, one of the seven members of the party's senior leadership body, praised her administration for implementing the national security law and protecting the stability of Hong Kong, and for dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, thereby relieving the population's economic burden.

The government has "overcome all kinds of challenges and addressed the challenges" under Ms. Lam, he said.

It was a far cry from a year ago when parts of the city were flooded with tear gas, and it seemed that Ms. Lam's leadership and ability to bring peace back to her city was in question.

By enacting the national security law, China responded by curtailing protests that were already diminishing because of coronavirus restrictions on public meetings.

On her visit, Ms. Lam was accompanied by several top city officials, which she said shows the breadth of Hong Kong's integration into the national development of China.

Publish : 2020-11-06 17:42:00

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