The U.S. Consulate General in Hong Kong held a reception on Thursday (the 26th) to celebrate the Independence Day of the United States. Compared to last year, both the Hong Kong government and the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Office in Hong Kong had downgraded their presence. This also led to a back-and-forth between Hong Kong and U.S. officials. Rupert Murdoch reiterated his concerns about the treatment of Next Media founder Jimmy Lai and other "political prisoners." The Hong Kong government later issued a 1,000-word statement strongly condemning U.S. Consul General Rupert Murdoch's smear campaign against the Hong Kong National Security Law.
U.S. Consul General in Hong Kong, Rupert Murdoch, will be transferred to the position of Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in China next month. This was his last appearance at the U.S. Independence Day reception in Hong Kong in that capacity. In his speech, he thanked Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Edward Yau, for his engagement with the American business community and thanked Bao Haibin, Director of the Policy Research Office of the Commissioner's Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. He noted that over the past three years, both sides have maintained an open and frank dialogue despite differences. He noted that the U.S. Consulate General in Hong Kong, established in 1843, is Hong Kong's oldest diplomatic mission. He said that the relationship between the two countries has endured through ups and downs, and expressed optimism about overcoming new challenges together.
However, when it came to Yau Ying-wah's speech, he strongly opposed the US imposing additional tariffs on Hong Kong, calling it "illogical" and demanding that it be corrected as soon as possible. He also said that Hong Kong has always been a free port, and quoted a report that Hong Kong's competitiveness ranked third in the world. He said that Hong Kong is very valuable to American companies and will continue to welcome investment from companies around the world, including the United States.
Mei rurui : This is definately not the Hong Kong I have known for many years
Recently, media reports have surfaced that several schools in Hong Kong have received a "friendly reminder" from the Education Bureau, stating that students should be discouraged from participating in Fourth of July events hosted by the U.S. Consulate General in Hong Kong and Macau, as this could violate the National Security Law. Speaking to the media, Rurui Mei spoke out for the first time, expressing disappointment and confusion. "Can you find any elements in this event that could affect national security?" He bluntly stated that such a thing has never happened, "and it's definitely not the Hong Kong I've known for many years." Rurui Mei said, "If you can't even allow students to have normal interactions with the embassy, then you can't be a super connector."
He also reiterated his concern about the treatment of Next Media founder Jimmy Lai and other "political prisoners." He expressed deep disappointment at the "transnational repression," noting that the Hong Kong government's attempt to enforce the National Security Law on people in the United States is "an attempt to restrict Americans' freedom of speech." Furthermore, authorities have begun pursuing the families of overseas activists, a development he expressed dismay.
At around 10 p.m., the Hong Kong government issued a 1,400-word press release criticizing Rurui Mei for his "complete disregard for the rule of law and his use of false and biased statements" to deliberately mislead the public and smear the National Security Law. The government strongly condemned the statement. The spokesperson also stated that the legal proceedings in Jimmy Lai's case were ongoing and that no one should comment on the case, effectively slamming Jimmy Lai from a distance.
In the past two years, the SAR government was represented by Deputy Financial Secretary Wong Wai-lun, and this year, it was represented by Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Yau Ying-wah. Last year, China was represented by Deputy Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong, Pan Yundong, and this year, the Commissioner's Office was represented by Director of the Policy Research Office, Bao Haibin. Both sides also downgraded their stance on the US this year.
Russ Smith has served as the U.S. Consul General in Hong Kong for three years. He is praised for being "down-to-earth" because he often goes to the streets to taste Hong Kong-style delicacies such as wonton noodles, barbecued chicken rice or two-dish rice.
