China 'won't allow' Hong Kong G20 discussion
June 24, 2019
China said on Monday that it would not allow the Group of 20 nations to discuss the situation in Hong Kong when the group of world economic powers meets in Japan later this week.
Hong Kong has been the site of massive protests this month as demonstrators demanded the withdrawal of a bill that would allow people to be extradited to mainland China to face trials in courts controlled by the Communist Party. Protesters have also called on the city's leader, Carrie Lam, to step down.
Read more: Hong Kong pro-democracy movement — going from strength to strength
The extradition bill, as well as the police response to the protests, has drawn international criticism from rights groups.
"I can tell you with certainty that the G20 will not discuss the Hong Kong issue and we will not allow the G20 to discuss the Hong Kong issue," Zhang Jun, China's assistant foreign minister, said in a press briefing on Monday.
"Hong Kong is China's special administrative region," Zhang continued. "No matter at what venue, using any method, we will not
permit any country or person to interfere in China's internal affairs."
Chinese President Xi Jinping and US Presdient Donald Trump are scheduled to meet at the G20 summit, set to take place on Friday and Saturday in the southern Japanese city of Osaka.
Trump has weighed in on the protests, saying he understood the reason for the demonstrations and hopes the protesters "can work it out with China." US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has also indicated that Trump indents to discuss Hong Kong with Xi.
dv/msh (AFP, Reuters)
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