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