Hong Kong must improve treatment of ‘political prisoners’ to enjoy better US ties: envoy
US diplomat Gregory May also says he expects America’s approach to Hong Kong to remain the same regardless of who wins US presidential poll
Hong Kong must improve the treatment of its “political prisoners”, among other measures, before its relationship with the United States can change, the country’s top envoy in the city has said.
Gregory May, the country’s consul general in the city, said he expected America’s approach to Hong Kong to remain consistent regardless of who won the US presidential election.
The envoy stressed that concerns over the city’s implementation of national security legislation were “completely bipartisan” and also shared by the country’s executive branch of government.
“We do want a better relationship with Hong Kong, but that’s going to require some changes on the Hong Kong side, specifically the treatment of political prisoners,” May told the press after attending an election watch party organised by the US consulate at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club on Wednesday.
The diplomat cited the case of jailed former media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, who is facing foreign collusion charges, and a landmark sedition trial involving 47 opposition activists.
