Xi Jinping Has Confidence In Us, Says Matthew Cheung

The acting Chief Executive, Matthew Cheung, says Xi Jinping's meeting with Carrie Lam on Monday night shows the president has confidence in the way the SAR government is responding to the city's ongoing turmoil.

Xi held brief talks with Lam on the sidelines of the China International Import Expo in Shanghai where he told her that the central government has a high degree of trust in her administration.

Speaking before the weekly Executive Council meeting, Cheung was asked whether the fact that Xi found time to meet Lam actually shows that Beijing is worried her team has been unable to come up with ways to stop the violence and chaos that has rocked Hong Kong for five months.

Cheung replied by saying the unexpected meeting simply shows the importance Xi attaches to Hong Kong.

"I think the very fact that he is so busy, that he found time to really meet the Chief Executive, really it's a vote of confidence in ourselves. And also, what he said, as reported in the papers and in the media, is also very positive," Cheung said.

Meanwhile, the acting CE also expressed regret that some civil servants have been arrested after joining protests in recent months, warning that government workers cannot go against the administration's stance.

As tensions rise between journalists and the police over arrests of media workers and violence meted out by officers during protests, Cheung called for mutual understanding and respect.

He said people should file complaints to the force if they are unhappy with the behaviour of individual officers.

Cheung also announced that the government would hold another dialogue session with the public sometime after the district council elections on November 24. Lam had met dozens of people during a town hall-style meeting in Wan Chai in September.