US President Barack Obama yesterday said that the US had no role in fostering pro-democracy protests that have shut down parts of Hong Kong for six weeks, denying allegations in Chinese state media.
Washington has no desire to get involved in the dispute between demonstrators and authorities over procedures for nominating candidates for the territory’s next chief executive, Obama told reporters at a news conference in Beijing.
“These are issues ultimately for the people of Hong Kong and the people of China to decide,” Obama said.
Photo: Reuters
However, he added that the US backed the right of people to freely express themselves, both as a matter of foreign policy and of US values.
Hong Kong’s elections should be fair and transparent and “reflective of the opinions of people there,” Obama said.
Appearing beside Obama at the news conference, Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) reiterated China’s stance that the protests are illegal.
Beijing would support the region’s government in upholding the law and interests of both Hong Kong and foreign citizens in the financial center, Xi said.
“Hong Kong affairs are exclusively China’s internal affairs and foreign countries should not interfere in those affairs in any form or fashion,” Xi said.
Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying (梁振英) and other protest opponents have said unspecified foreign forces provided material support to instigate and sustain the protests, though they have offered no evidence.
Meanwhile, students in the territory yesterday said they plan to occupy roads surrounding the British consulate on Nov. 21 in anger at a lack of support from London for their pro-democracy movement.
The announcement came one day after the territory’s government urged protesters to leave the main rally sites, following a court decision on Monday that authorized bailiffs to clear barricades.
“We are angry at the way that the British government has for many years denied that China has actually breached the declaration by interfering with Hong Kong politics,” said Anna-Kate Choi, the coordinator for the Occupy British Consulate group.
“They have the responsibility to make sure that the joint declaration has been implemented properly, and that democracy and the high degree of autonomy of Hong Kong has been protected,” Choi said.
The British consulate said it had no comment.
Additional reporting by AFP
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