Hong Kong third wave: government lashes out at opposition politicians over ‘smear campaign’ against Covid-19 support team from mainland China
- Experts from mainland China are in city to lay ground work for community testing scheme
- But they have faced resistance from district councillors who have questioned if their presence is politically motivated
In a strongly worded statement issued late on Wednesday, the government accused a group of district councillors, including Neo Democrats, Tam Hoi-pong and Gary Fan Kwok-wai, of attempting to smear and damage the support provided by the central government.
Earlier, Tam said he opposed the arrival of Chinese scientists because the city’s advanced medical industry could cope, while Fan said the decision threatened residents’ rights and privacy, and questioned if it was politically motivated.
The government reiterated its gratitude for the help provided by Beijing in its statement, and criticised the councillors after they protested outside the Metropark Hotel Kowloon, where the team is staying.
“In view of the seriousness of the epidemic, the community as a whole should get united in fighting against this virus,” a government spokesman said.
“However, some people disregarded the public interest, health and safety, and behaved in a confrontational way in an attempt to smear and damage the central government’s support to Hong Kong’s anti-epidemic work. We must strongly condemn such behaviours.”