Pro-govt Side Plays Down Beijing Expulsions

Pro-government lawmakers have played down accusations that Beijing has violated the One Country, Two Systems arrangement and hampered press freedom in Hong Kong by barring US journalists expelled from the mainland from working in the SAR.

Federation of Trade Unions lawmaker Alice Mak said foreign affairs matters are handled by Beijing and the expulsion of American journalists was a reaction "to what the US government had done to Chinese media".

"So if you are talking about press freedom, you also have to urge the US government to respect Chinese media and respect press freedom," she said.

Liberal Party lawmaker Felix Chung also sought to play down accusations of a threat to press freedom in Hong Kong, saying this is a political spat between Beijing and Washington.

Chung said the US authorities had taken action against some mainland media and this was retaliation by Beijing. "So this is a big political issue rather than an issue of press freedom," he said.

The lawmaker said the Basic Law guarantees protection to journalists working in the city. "The Hong Kong government should protect different international media to have the freedom to do their job here," he said.

Asked if this central government's move will affect the investment climate in Hong Kong, Chung said the virus outbreak has stopped almost all investment and as things are changing fast, it will have to be seen how this controversy affects things.

Meanwhile, the biggest pro-Beijing party, the DAB, said it will comment only after the party discusses the issue.