Outgoing US envoy says little chance to meet Hong Kong officials during term
America's outgoing top diplomat in Hong Kong has said he had little opportunity to meet local officials during his tenure, while also noting that the implementation of the
national security law five years ago remains a source of friction.
Speaking at an American Independence Day event on Thursday, United States Consul General Gregory May also confirmed an earlier report from
the Post that he would soon depart Hong Kong to take on a senior role in the country's embassy in Beijing.
May, who was first posted to Hong Kong in 2022, said he was leaving with an 'absolute super-positive' impression of the city, while acknowledging that political differences had continued to hamper ties.
'I think Hong Kong is a great city,' he said. 'What is not great is the policies of the mainland Chinese government [and] the Hong Kong government that have eroded freedom.'
His tenure has been marked by the erosion of ties between the US and Hong Kong following the enactment of the city's 2020 national security law and the wider geopolitical struggle between Washington and Beijing.
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