Beijing’s foreign ministry office in Hong Kong accuses US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo of threatening city with autonomy remarks
- Spokesman condemns ‘ungrounded allegations and unreasonable pressure’ from American politicians
- A day earlier, Pompeo said Washington had not decided on whether it would certify Hong Kong as having autonomy from mainland China
Beijing’s foreign affairs arm in Hong Kong on Thursday accused the United States’ top diplomat of threatening the city following his remarks that it was “difficult to assess” whether the city remains highly autonomous from mainland China.
A spokesman for the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned “ungrounded allegations and unreasonable pressure” from American politicians, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
“They are unwilling to see the torn-apart Hong Kong society heal and get back on track,” he said. “Their evil hearts are laid bare.”
The statement came a day after Pompeo attacked Beijing for its policies on health, defence, Taiwan and 5G and its “brutal” regime, and expressed Washington’s concern over certifying Hong Kong’s degree of autonomy.
