US taking Hong Kong protests ‘extremely seriously’, welcomes efforts to find solution, diplomat says

Carrie Lam’s decision to open ‘Dialogue Office’ a positive signal, says David Stilwell, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs

Washington will continue to pressure Beijing to ‘do the right thing’ in city, official says

Reading Time:3 minutes

David Stilwell, US assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, hopes the protests in Hong Kong can be resolved peacefully. Photo: Reuters

Published: 8:30pm, 19 Sep 2019Updated: 8:30pm, 19 Sep 2019

The United States is taking the protests in Hong Kong “extremely seriously”, Washington’s top diplomat for East Asia said, adding that he hopes the long-running dispute can be resolved peacefully.

Speaking to the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday, David Stilwell, the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, said that the withdrawal of the highly unpopular extradition bill and government’s offer to engage in dialogue with the public were both positive signals.

However, it was important the Hong Kong government continued to adhere to the Basic Law – the city’s mini constitution – and was granted the autonomy promised in the Sino-British Joint Declaration on its return to China in 1997, he said.

“This [the protest] has been going on for 100 days, it has passed the anniversary,” Stilwell said, adding that “we take this extremely seriously”.

“In all interactions that I’ve been in with the secretary [of state, Mike Pompeo] on this subject … [the] strong advice [has been] to resolve this through dialogue, peacefully.

“Simply listen to what the protesters are asking, and I do believe that you have seen positive motion in that regard from Carrie Lam and the others.”

On Monday, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor announced the creation of a “Dialogue Office” to provide a channel for communication between the government and the public.