China’s foreign ministry in Hong Kong tells Washington to ‘pull back from brink’ over jobs policy for US-based residents from the city
- US granting work-seeking rights to Hongkongers with safe haven status ‘brutally meddles’ in Chinese affairs and ‘tramples international law’, says foreign ministry
- American programme exempts Hong Kong residents from having to leave the US if their visa expires
China’s foreign ministry in Hong Kong has criticised a United States policy allowing city residents granted so-called safe haven status to apply for work there, urging Washington to “pull back from the brink” and end its “brutal meddling” campaign.
A spokesman for the office of China’s foreign ministry commissioner in Hong Kong on Thursday accused the US of exaggerating the impact of the national security law in a bid to create fear and stir up social conflict in the city.
Washington was ignoring mainstream public opinion in Hong Kong by offering safe haven to “those fleeing elements of the anti-China, destabilising forces”, according to the spokesman.
“It is to further expose the hypocritical face that has been colluding with the [anti-China forces],” the spokesman said in a statement.
In its latest update, the US Consulate General in Hong Kong and Macau said those Hongkongers qualifying for “deferred enforced departure” (DED) status could now apply to work in the US. “The US stands with people in Hong Kong,” the consulate tweeted.
