Top Chinese envoy in Hong Kong demands that US consul ‘make a clean break from anti-China forces’ after Joshua Wong meeting
- This comes as American travel advisory puts Hong Kong on the same warning level as mainland China, Britain and Sri Lanka
- Wong meanwhile laughs off collusion allegation in Facebook post
The top Chinese envoy in Hong Kong has demanded that the US consulate “make a clean break from anti-China forces” following media reports of a meeting between an official and local independence activists, including Joshua Wong Chi-fung.
On Thursday the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed “strong disapproval” and “firm opposition”, demanding clarification over a meeting two days earlier between United States consulate political counsellor Julie Eadeh and Wong, Nathan Law Kwun-chung, as well as fellow core members of local political party Demosisto.
In a statement, the office also labelled the activists “anti-China forces who stir up trouble in Hong Kong”.
Demosisto previously said it supported self-determination for Hong Kong, but the office quoted media reports saying the group advocated independence.
The meeting came amid weeks of protests in Hong Kong – triggered by the now-shelved extradition bill – which have prompted the US government to escalate its travel advisory to the city.
On Thursday the US Department of State raised its travel advisory to level two, asking the public to “exercise increased caution in Hong Kong due to civil unrest”. It puts the city on the same level as mainland China, Britain and Sri Lanka.