Carrie Lam gets support, but no advice, from Beijing

Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor is back from Beijing with words of support from national officials - but no tips on how to handle the recent political turmoil.

Wrapping up her first official three-day duty visit to the capital since assuming her new post in July, Lam said mainland officials had expressed support for Leung Chun-ying's administration but gave no advice.

"We didn't touch on such an issue," Lam said.

"They just generally said they would continue to support the governance of the SAR government."

Asked whether Beijing had affirmed the work of the city's government, she said: "What we have heard is strong support. [The support] is not only for this term of the government. Since the handover 15 years ago, all the bureaus and ministries have given full backing to various aspects of the work of the SAR government."

On Monday, Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office director Wang Guangya told Lam at a closed-door meeting that he was aware that the government was facing difficulties.