US To Watch Closely Developments In Hong Kong As Elections Near - Pompeo

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th July, 2020) The United States will closely monitor developments in Hong Kong as the elections for the Legislative Council draw closer, Secretary of US State Mike Pompeo said in a statement on Tuesday.

"We will be watching developments closely, especially as the September 6 Legislative Council elections draw closer," Pompeo said.

Pompeo congratulated Hong Kong's pan-democrats on the success of their first territory-wide primaries with over 600,000 ballots cast, but voiced "grave concern" over Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam's statement regarding the elections.

"We note with grave concern Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam's threat that this Primary may have violated Beijing's new 'national security' law for the territory, once again demonstrating the Chinese Communist Party's fear of democracy and its own people's free thinking," Pompeo said.

US-China relations have deteriorated as the Trump administration accuses Beijing of encroaching on the special status of Hong Kong and also for engaging in unfair trade practices, committing human rights violations, intimidating of its neighbors and lying about the novel coronavirus outbreak.