Trump Says Meeting Between China's Xi, Hong Kong Protesters Would Resolve Issue

Umer Jamshaid Published August 15, 2019 | 08:18 PM

US President Donald Trump said in a statement on Thursday that if Chinese President Xi Jinping were to meet the Hong Kong protesters it would resolve the dispute between both parties

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th August, 2019) US President Donald Trump said in a statement on Thursday that if Chinese President Xi Jinping were to meet the Hong Kong protesters it would resolve the dispute between both parties.

"If President Xi would meet directly and personally with the protesters, there would be a happy and enlightened ending to the Hong Kong problem," Trump said via Twitter.

The protests began more than two months ago after a local legislature opened a debate on a bill that would have allowed extradition to mainland China.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam declared the bill "dead," but the protesters are demanding the measure to be withdrawn completely.

The protesters have also said they want Hong Kong authorities to implement universal suffrage and retract criminal charges against them.

On Tuesday, China's permanent mission to the United Nations accused the protesters of having displayed a "tendency of resorting to terrorism" by destroying public facilities, paralyzing Hong Kong's airport, blocking public transport and using lethal weapons.

The Chinese authorities have also accused the United States of fomenting the protests and have made public the personal information of a US diplomat who was pictured being among the protesters.