Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam (林鄭月娥) yesterday called on the US to stop interfering in the territory, and that she had discussed COVID-19 controls and economic relief with mainland Chinese officials during her three-day trip to Beijing.
Speaking to reporters in Beijing, Lam said that the Chinese government would support Hong Kong’s competitiveness, as well as tech innovation in the Asian financial hub.
Lam said that whoever wins the US presidential election should end US interference in the internal affairs of the territory and China overall.
Photo: Reuters
She accused the administration of US President Donald Trump of repeatedly interfering over the past year, citing US sanctions on officials, including herself, and the suspension of special trading conditions previously granted to Hong Kong.
“That is totally unreasonable,” she said at the news conference. “I hope that they will come back to normalcy and accept that the relationship has to be built on mutual respect and cooperation.”
The US earlier this year took issue with China’s enactment of a new National Security Law.
The Trump administration backed democracy activists who said that the legislation ended the “one country, two systems” framework under which Hong Kong is part of China, but given a high degree of autonomy over local affairs.
Lam said that the legislation has been an effective deterrent after pitched battles between demonstrators and police during protests last year.
“Hong Kong has recovered its stability and has not seen any large-scale violent incidents,” Lam said. “With this stable environment, we can focus on economic development and improving people’s lives.”
Lam was praised by Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng (韓正), who said that her government had “overcome all kinds of difficulties and dealt with the challenges.”
Hong Kong was wracked by protests last year demanding fully democratic elections and opposing China’s expanding influence in the territory’s affairs.
Han, one of seven members of the Chinese Communist Party’s top leadership body, praised Lam’s government for its handling of the pandemic, easing the economic burden on the population, implementing the national security legislation and protecting the stability of Hong Kong.
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