Hong Kong third wave: two Beijing agencies blast critics of mainland offer of help with Covid-19 crisis, saying they are putting politics above public health

Cabinet-level Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office say such calls are as notorious as opposition camp’s ‘mutual destruction’ strategy

Central government has promised to help the city in areas ranging from sample testing to the construction of temporary hospitals

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Hong Kong is battling a third wave of coronavirus infections. Photo: Felix Wong

Published: 11:58am, 27 Jul 2020Updated: 11:23pm, 27 Jul 2020

Two Beijing agencies have slammed those suggesting Hong Kong does not need help from mainland China in combating the Covid-19 pandemic, saying they are putting political consideration above public health.

The cabinet-level Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office said such a call was as notorious as the opposition camp’s “mutual destruction” strategy and deserved condemnation, while the central government liaison office in the city said those making these claims had “ulterior motives” and were “lying to themselves and others”.

Hong Kong is struggling to control a third wave of the pandemic that emerged earlier this month, with daily infections topping 100 for the past six days.

The city’s pro-Beijing political groups have met with senior officials from the liaison office, asking them to send mainland medical personnel to Hong Kong, or to mobilise mainland laboratories to help with testing.

But Dr Gabriel Choi Kin, newly elected president of the Hong Kong Medical Association, on Thursday warned of the difficulties such a plan might present.

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