Li Yuanchao slams Occupy Central as ‘illegal movement that impedes universal suffrage’
Vice-president tells news executives that central government is ‘ready to help’ handle protesters
Top Beijing officials yesterday slammed Occupy Central as an "illegal" movement that "damages the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong".
During a high-level meeting with media executives from the city, Vice-President Li Yuanchao , the deputy head of the Communist Party's leading group on Hong Kong and Macau affairs, and Wang Guangya , director of the State Council's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, said Beijing strongly opposed the movement.
The comments came during a meeting between news executives and Beijing officials to mark the 60th anniversary of the Newspaper Society of Hong Kong.
"[Li] said Occupy Central was illegal. He also said it impeded universal suffrage," Lee Cho-jat, chairman of the Newspaper Society, told reporters following the meeting. "He also said it damaged the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong."
Occupy Central is a non-violent civil disobedience movement which plans to block streets in Central if the government does not come up with an acceptable plan for universal suffrage.
Delegate Ronald Chiu Ying-chun, of Cable TV, quoted Wang after the meeting as saying that Beijing "would offer help" if Hong Kong needed it in handling Occupy Central.
"He also said if Occupy Central really did take place, he was confident that the SAR government could handle it. But if the SAR government needed help or support from the central government, the central government would offer it."