Chinas attempt to blame U.S. and other foreign forces for Hong Kongs protests is merely a convenient excuse for Beijing to cover its shame for not granting the territory true democracy as it once promised, said Martin Lee, founding chairman of Hong Kong's Democratic Party.
With street sit-ins entering their second month and no resolution in sight, Lee, 76, said Tuesday that responsibility for ending the ongoing protests rests on the shoulders of Chinese President Xi Jinping, who recently has emphasized the necessity of the rule of law.
Lee, founder of one of Hong Kong's largest political parties, has been singled out by Chinas Communist Party for allegedly inviting outside interference in the territory's affairs. In April, the U.S. Congress revived an annual report on political developments in Hong Kong following a plea by Lee and former Chief Secretary Anson Chan. They have since been condemned in Chinas state-run media as "betraying" Hong Kong with their move.
Protesters in Hong Kong, a former British territory that returned to Chinese rule in 1997 under a framework known as one country, two systems, took to the streets in late September to denounce rules laid out by Beijing for the citys chief executive election in 2017. The rules would limit candidates to two or three people approved by a special committee expected to be packed with pro-establishment figures.
Protesters say that is tantamount to "fake democracy" and contravenes promises made with the 1997 handover. They are pressing for a more open, public nominations system.
A two-hour dialogue between protest leaders and five Hong Kong government officials last week yielded little common ground. The session was first of what is expected to be several rounds of talks aimed at resolving the political crisis, but a second session has yet to be scheduled.
In an interview with The Times, Lee said he did travel overseas frequently to met with government officials, lawmakers, the media and Chinese communities. But he said that his message has always been defending Hong Kong's core values and that he never accepts financial support from abroad.
"I never ask for money," said Lee, "and even if they offer, which they haven't, I wont touch it. Because I know, once I touch it, they will use it against us."
Lee denied allegations that protesters wanted to separate Hong Kong from mainland China. Rather, he said, demonstrators only want to hold Beijing to its promises made under the Basic Law, the legal framework of the 1997 handover, which promised Hong Kong a high degree of political autonomy for 50 years.
"We have never asked for independence. We have always accepted the 'one country, two systems' policy, said Lee. We just want to hold China accountable for its policy; we have never asked for more.
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Hong Kong democracy stalwart says 'foreign forces' not behind protests