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Xi Jinping seen as indirectly lecturing Hong Kong as he tells Macau residents to make ‘positive voices’ heard and resolve problems with rationality
- Xi praises the city’s residents for putting their love of the country and Macau before the core values of democracy, rule of law, human rights and freedom
- Although he makes no mention of Hong Kong, his remarks are again seen as rebuke of the former British colony, rocked by protests since June
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China’s President Xi Jinping was seen as indirectly lecturing Hong Kong on Thursday as he told the people of Macau to have a clear-cut stand and make their “positive voices” heard in matters of right or wrong, calling on all sides to resolve problems with rationality.
On the second day of his three-day visit in the casino hub to mark the 20th anniversary of its return from Portuguese to Chinese rule, Xi praised the city’s residents for putting their love of the country and Macau before the core values of democracy, rule of law, human rights and freedom.
He also complimented the Macau government for understanding the importance of harmony, unity and consultation, as well as avoiding disputes and internal friction.
While he made no mention of Hong Kong, his remarks were once again interpreted as a rebuke of the former British colony which has been rocked by anti-government and anti-Beijing protests since June. Analysts said it was clear Xi was deliberately contrasting his strong approval of Macau with his silent disapproval of Hong Kong ’s performance in integrating with the motherland since its 1997 return to Chinese sovereignty.
The Hong Kong government revealed on Thursday night that Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor had led a delegation of her officials to meet the president.
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