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https://scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3015236/donald-trump-right-stay-out-hong-kong-extradition-bill-dispute
China/ Diplomacy

Donald Trump ‘right’ to stay out of Hong Kong extradition bill dispute, Beijing says

  • US president showed the ‘right attitude’ by saying problem can be resolved by governments in Hong Kong and Beijing
  • Trump describes protesters as ‘very effective’ in interview with Time magazine
Authorities in Beijing and Hong Kong “can properly handle” the dispute over the controversial extradition bill, according to US President Donald Trump. Photo: Sam Tsang

US President Donald Trump showed the “right attitude” in suggesting the dispute over Hong Kong’s controversial extradition bill is a matter that can be resolved by authorities in the city and in Beijing, China’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

“Trump said he believed the central Chinese government and the Hong Kong government can properly handle the issue,” ministry spokesman Lu Kang said. “I believe this is the right attitude.”

Lu was speaking after Trump commented on the protests in an interview with Time magazine, which was published in the US on Tuesday.

He described the protesters as “very effective”, but said China and Hong Kong could “work out their problem”.

Trump described the protesters in Hong Kong as “very effective”. Photo: K Y Cheng
Trump described the protesters in Hong Kong as “very effective”. Photo: K Y Cheng

While he did not express an opinion on the dispute itself, he said: “I’m going to let the protesters speak for themselves. I have our own argument with China, and I think it’s going to work out successfully, but I’m going to let China and the protesters work out their own problem. It looks like it’s going to be worked out.”

Lu said he was not aware of the Time interview, but said he was referring to similar remarks made by Trump last week.

While entertaining Polish President Andrzej Duda at the White House on June 12, Trump said that he understood the reason for the demonstration in Hong Kong but said Beijing and Hong Kong would “be able to work it out”.

Trump told Polish President Andrzej Duda last week he understood the reason for the demonstration in Hong Kong. Photo: Reuters
Trump told Polish President Andrzej Duda last week he understood the reason for the demonstration in Hong Kong. Photo: Reuters

In a telephone conversation with Trump on Monday, Chinese President Xi Jinping said he was looking forward to addressing some of the “fundamental issues” in China-US relations when the two leaders meet next week on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan.

When asked if he thought Trump might raise the Hong Kong issue during those talks, Lu said China remained open to questions as long as they were well intentioned.

“I can reiterate that if foreign leaders and individuals want to understand about China’s domestic policies and situation, as long as it is out of goodwill, China has always been open to communication.

“However, if anyone tries to interfere in China’s internal affairs with a preconceived bias or malicious political motive, our attitude is very determined and we firmly oppose it.”

On Friday, Beijing summoned Robert Forden, the deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in the Chinese capital to protest against Washington’s condemnation of the Hong Kong extradition bill.

Foreign vice-minister Le Yucheng said at the time that Beijing did not accept foreign forces meddling in China’s internal affairs.

The move came after US lawmakers reintroduced proposed legislation to “reaffirm the US commitment to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law at a time when these freedoms and Hong Kong’s autonomy are being eroded through interference by the Chinese government and Communist Party”.

An estimated 2 million people took to the streets of Hong Kong on Sunday, twice the number that turned out the previous week, to protest against the legislation, which would allow the extradition of people living in the city to mainland China.

An estimated 2 million people took to the streets of Hong Kong for the second Sunday in a row to protest against the legislation. Photo: K Y Cheng
An estimated 2 million people took to the streets of Hong Kong for the second Sunday in a row to protest against the legislation. Photo: K Y Cheng

Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor apologised for the city government’s handling of the controversy and suspended the bill, but refused to withdraw it as demanded by the protesters.

China and the US have been locked in an escalating trade war since July. A truce was reached in December, but efforts to reach a full resolution to the dispute faltered in May, after Washington accused China of backtracking on its promises and introduced new tariffs on Chinese goods. Beijing has denied the allegations.

Lu Xiang, an expert in US affairs at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, a think tank affiliated with China’s central government, said Trump’s comments underlined his reluctance to shift the focus away from trade.

“Trump has always had different attitudes from cabinet members on international issues … [He] has been reluctant to personally confront China on sensitive political issues, and tends to focus on trade,” he said.

“He seldom speaks his mind on international issues … he lacks interest in these issues. He hasn’t spoken personally about Xinjiang, either.”

Additional reporting by Jun Mai