US worries over Hong Kong

The United States has expressed concern that the autonomy of Hong Kong may have been compromised by recent statement by Chinese officials.

The American deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Susan Shirk, referred to recent warnings to the Hong Kong media not to advocate Taiwan independence and to Hong Kong businesses not to trade with Taiwanese firms that support independence.

Susan Shirk, who was speaking in Hong Kong, said these warnings contradicted the guarantees given by China on Hong Kong's autonomy.

But she noted that in both instances the Hong Kong government had strongly reiterated its continued adherence to a free press and to free trade.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service