All official exchanges between Hong Kong and Japan should respect the nation’s dignity and align with the interests of Hongkongers, the city leader has said as he questioned the effectiveness of such interactions amid a diplomatic dispute between Beijing and Tokyo.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu made the remarks on Monday after it was reported that the administration had called off several exchanges with the Japanese consulate in Hong Kong and postponed discussions.
It marked the first time a Hong Kong official has publicly responded to escalating tensions between Beijing and Tokyo after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae suggested that his country might consider military action if an attempt was made to invade or blockade Taiwan.
“The extremely erroneous remarks [from the Japanese leader] have severely deteriorated the atmosphere for exchanges between China and Japan. It makes us doubt the effectiveness of many exchanges. We will closely monitor the developments,” Lee said.
“Our arrangement must be aligned with the nation’s dignity and the interests of Hongkongers.”
Lee declined to confirm whether official exchanges between his administration and the Japanese consulate had been halted, despite reports suggesting so.
According to Japanese news agency Kyodo, InvestHK, the city’s investment promotion agency, had notified the country’s envoy that it would not take part in a business promotion event. Originally scheduled for last Tuesday, the function was postponed but no alternative date was set.
AloJapan.com