New | US hits back at claims that ‘external forces’ are backing Occupy Central

Those who accuse foreign countries of backing protests in Hong Kong are “distracting from the issues at hand”, the United States said as it hit back at claims that Washington is meddling in the city’s internal affairs.

The remarks made by the US consulate in Hong Kong come just one day after Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying noted that “external forces from different countries from different parts of the world” had taken part in the Occupy movement, which entered its 23rd day today.

“This is not entirely a domestic movement and it is getting out of hand,” Leung told ATV’s Newsline on Sunday.

Scott Robinson, spokesman for the US consulate general, rejected the accusation that Washington is manipulating the activities of any person, group, or political party in Hong Kong.

“What is happening in Hong Kong is about the people of Hong Kong, and any assertion otherwise is an attempt to distract from the issue at hand, which is the people of Hong Kong expressing their desire for universal suffrage and an election that provides a meaningful choice of candidates representative of the voters’ will,” Robinson wrote in an email to the South China Morning Post.