HK leader Accuses the West of Hypocrisy
CHIEF EXECUTIVE CARRIE LAM SPOTLIGHTS WASHINGTON REACTION
Hong Kong’s leader has defended the city’s recent mass arrests of opposition figures and accused foreign politicians of adopting “double standards” for condoning 2019’s often violent anti-government protests, only to condemn last week’s storming of the US Capitol by a mob of supporters of President Donald Trump.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor on Tuesday hit back at statements of condemnation from Western governments over the arrests, while also singling out what she called hypocrisy in their approach to Hong Kong. “We had rampant violence and riots undermining the safety of Hong Kong people, properties and businesses. Some overseas commentators or politicians were condoning or encouraging these
activities under the guise of democracy,” she told reporters, referring to the 2019 social unrest.
“But when the same things seemed to happen in their own country, they immediately took a very different approach to condemn the violence, and some said that this was verging on sedition in American society.”.
Ms Lam’s comments were in line with those of the Chinese foreign ministry, with spokeswoman Hua Chunying saying the US should reflect on why it adopted different positions on the two events. Images of the pro-Trump crowd overrunning the Capitol – temporarily halting a hearing to confirm the victory of President-elect Joe Biden – have set off a wave of mockery in China, with mainland media widely echoing accusations of hypocrisy on the part of Washington.
Lam, meanwhile, declined to be drawn on the particulars of the recent opposition arrests under the national security law, but insisted that “Hong Kong is a society of the rule of law”.