New US Consul says USA will encourage freedom in Hong Kong

Vows that US will not be silenced by China.

U.S. Consul General Clifford Hart said that Washington will not be silenced by China in calling for democracy in Hong Kong, vowing to continue speaking out for core rights and freedoms.

"The U.S. position on genuine universal suffrage is unchanged... We'll continue to speak out on it," said Hart. "There is no mystery to it, there is no hidden agenda to it whatsoever."

Hart said the US believes that an open society, with the highest possible degree of autonomy and governed by the rule of law, is essential to maintain Hong Kong's stability and prosperity.

Hart's first public speech in Hong Kong came amid rising political and diplomatic tensions that have included formal warnings from China that Western nations must not meddle in Hong Kong’s politics. Beijing has warned Hart against interference while Communist Party-backed newspapers condemn his "subversive" activities.