The Beijing government yesterday demanded that the US invite Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee (李家超) to an economic conference following a news report that he would be barred due to his role in crushing the territory’s pro-democracy movement.
The conflict threatens to complicate Washington’s efforts to revive relations that are at their lowest level in decades due to disputes about security, technology, human rights and other irritants.
The Washington Post, citing unidentified US officials, said Lee would be barred from the APEC meeting in San Francisco in November due to sanctions imposed on him in 2020.
Photo: AFP
Lee oversaw the crackdown as Hong Kong’s top police official before he was named chief executive last year.
The US and other governments have accused Beijing of violating promises of autonomy and Western-style civil liberties after the former British colony returned to China in 1997.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanded that Washington lift the “illegal and unreasonable” sanctions on Lee, which it called “bullying that seriously violates the basic norms of international relations.”
It accused Washington of “undermining the solidarity and cooperation” of the regional forum.
“We demand that the US side immediately correct its wrong move, lift the sanctions against the chief executive and other officials of the SAR [special administrative region], fulfil the due responsibility as APEC host, invite Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu to the meeting,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning (毛寧) said.
Lee’s office in Hong Kong said the US is “obliged to fulfil its basic responsibilities as a host” and should follow the usual APEC practice by inviting him.
“APEC meetings do not belong to any country or economy,” the office said in a statement.
The Washington Post cited US officials as saying Hong Kong could send another representative to APEC.
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