Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) has called on Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying (梁振英) to uphold national unity and maintain social and political stability, Xinhua news agency reported yesterday.
The meeting of the two political leaders on the sidelines of the APEC summit in the Peruvian capital, Lima, came amid deepening concerns in Beijing over a fledgling independence movement in Hong Kong and street protests in the territory.
Xi said he hopes that Leung “resolutely upholds national unity, and maintains social and political stability,” said Xinhua, adding Xi offered Leung and his government Beijing’s full support.
His remarks echoed comments the Chinese president made in Beijing last week when he said China would never allow any part of its territory to break away.
Leung told reporters Xi made “forceful” comments on the issue of Hong Kong independence.
“Very simply put and very forcefully, the president said there is no room whatsoever for Hong Kong independence under the ‘one country, two systems’ arrangement,” Leung said, adding that they did not discuss the issue in length during the meeting that lasted 45 minutes.
The Hong Kong High Court last week backed a government demand to bar two recently elected lawmakers from the territory’s legislature, after the court and Beijing both ruled they had insulted China when taking their oath of office.
Before the ruling, about 2,000 lawyers protested against Beijing stepping in and interpreting the city’s mini-constitution in the middle of the lawsuit, a move they said interfered with Hong Kong’s judicial independence.
Leung said Xi affirmed that the legal interpretation was “necessary.”
Democratically elected Yau Wai-ching (游蕙禎), 25, and Sixtus “Baggio” Leung (梁頌恆), 30, sparked controversy last month when they displayed a banner declaring “Hong Kong is not China” and substituted derogatory terms for “China” while taking their oaths.
Demonstrators angry at Beijing’s rulings clashed with riot police early this month, unfurling umbrellas to block pepper spray in scenes reminiscent of the 2014 pro-democracy protests, dubbed the “Umbrella movement” that brought key intersections to a halt for weeks on end.
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