US has no involvement in fostering Occupy protest, Obama tells Xi
Despite his 'unequivocal' denial of American role in Occupy sit-ins, president gets warning from host to stay out of Hong Kong affairs
The United States has no role in pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, President Barack Obama said in Beijing yesterday.
But that wasn't enough to avoid a stern warning from President Xi Jinping that the city's affairs were strictly China's business.
"On the issue of Hong Kong, I was unequivocal in saying to President Xi that the United States has no involvement in fostering the protest that took place there," Obama said of talks with his Chinese counterpart.
It is the first time the US president has spoken in public about accusations made by some mainland media and Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying.
"We are going to consistently speak out on the right of people to express themselves and encourage that the elections that take place in Hong Kong are transparent and fair and reflective of the opinions of people there," added Obama, who travelled to Beijing for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders' summit.
Leung has previously said he had proof foreign forces had long been meddling in local politics. In Beijing yesterday, Leung maintained foreign forces were interfering in the city's affairs.
Xi reiterated Beijing would give its full backing to the Hong Kong authorities in handling the Occupy Central protests.
