Carrie Lam decries US interference in Hong Kong affairs, hopes for ‘return to normalcy’ regardless if Biden or Trump next president

Chief executive takes aim at ‘unreasonable’ suspension of bilateral agreements, sanctions against herself and others at Beijing press briefing

But Lam also notes large number of US businesses operating in the city in calling for a ‘mutually respectful’ relationship going forward

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Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam speaks to the media on Friday in Beijing. Photo: Simon Song

Published: 6:33pm, 6 Nov 2020Updated: 11:34pm, 6 Nov 2020

Hong Kong’s leader on Friday condemned the United States’ repeated interference in city affairs, calling for a “return to normalcy” regardless of who emerges victorious in the ongoing US presidential election.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor also criticised the US for its “unreasonable” move to suspend certain bilateral agreements while speaking at a press briefing in Beijing – part of her current tour of mainland government agencies.

“For the past year or so, the American administration and officials have been repeatedly interfering with the internal affairs of the People’s Republic of China and the internal affairs of Hong Kong. That is totally unreasonable and cannot be justified in international relations,” Lam said.

Whether Donald Trump (left) or Joe Biden is the next US president, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam says she hopes for a ‘return to normalcy’ in relations. Photo: AFP

“Worse still, they have chosen to unilaterally suspend some bilateral agreements. They have unreasonably imposed sanctions on government officials, including myself,” she added.

Lam was referring to US President Donald Trump’s decision earlier this year to remove the city’s special trading status and slap sanctions on Hong Kong officials, including the chief executive. It came in response to Beijing’s imposition of a sweeping national security law on the city in late June.