CHINA pledged that the Hongkong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government would be able to appoint foreigners as its advisers.
Vice-director of the local branch of the New China News Agency, Mr Zhang Junsheng, yesterday made the promise while defending the recent appointment of former chief secretary Sir David Akers-Jones as a Hongkong affairs adviser to Beijing.
''The future advisers will be selected from people who love China and Hongkong, including foreigners,'' he said.
Mr Zhang accused the British media of making personal attacks on Sir David.
He said the criticism was wrong. Sir David's appointment was beneficial to the smooth transfer of power and in Britain's interests, he said.
''Sir David has served Hongkong for so many years, so we want to consult his opinions on the various problems involving the transition period in Hongkong. It is in the interests of the Hongkong public and Britain,'' Mr Zhang said.