'Stop interfering in Hong Kong's internal affairs', China tells US
Outburst by Foreign Ministry comes as scholars' electoral reform plan receives positive response
Its outburst came in response to a meeting between two veteran pan-democrats and high-ranking US officials last week in which the city's democratic reforms were discussed.
“What has been done by the US side is completely wrong,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said.
“China hereby expresses strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition. We urge the US to bear in mind the overall interests of China-US relations, earnestly respect China's position and concerns and stop any form of interference in the internal affairs of Hong Kong.”
Hong said the development of Hong Kong's political system fell within the country's domestic affairs and that “no foreign forces are allowed to interfere”.
Anson Chan Fang On-sang, the former chief secretary and the convenor of pro-democracy group Hong Kong 2020, and Martin Lee Chu-ming, founding chairman of Hong Kong's Democratic Party, met Vice-President Joe Biden on Friday as part of a two-week visit to the US and Canada.
Biden spoke of the States' support for democracy in Hong Kong and for the city's high degree of autonomy under the one country, two systems framework. Lee asked Congress to bring back the US-Hong Kong Policy Act.