Beijing officials stationed in Hong Kong rejected departing US Consul-General Richard Boucher's expression of concern over the SAR's decision to go over the head of the Court of Final Appeal.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry Commissioner's Office issued a statement yesterday accusing the American diplomat of interfering.
'Hong Kong affairs are purely internal affairs of China which brook no interference from any other foreign countries,' the statement said.
In a farewell speech on Wednesday, Mr Boucher said US diplomats had been watching the right of abode case closely because of its impact on an independent judiciary.
Mr Boucher said the United States was also concerned that the decision raised questions about the ultimate fate of the rule of law.
