Hong Kong, activist Joshua Wong is in Berlin. The Chinese government protests

• The Hong Kong activist, Joshua Wong, is released: he is headed to Germany and then to the United States
• Hong Kong: Carrie Lam on TV announces the withdrawal of the extradition law in China

Share

After three months of protests, the Hong Kong democracy activist, Joshua Wong, met with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas in Berlin last night in search of international support.

Wong, released on bail on September 8, compared the former British colony and now China's special administrative region to "East Berlin during the Cold War". In the meeting, Wong, also invited by the Bild newspaper, spoke of protests in Hong Kong for 14 weeks to lead to the resignation of governor Carrie Lam, so that new free and democratic elections can be induced. Likely that Wong will extend his application in Germany, with "further discussions with the members of the Bundestag", the German parliament. Then he will fly to the United States.

China formally protested for the meeting. Beijing "firmly opposes the decision of the German government to authorize the entry of separatists from Hong Kong into Germany and to engage in anti-Chinese activities," said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying, calling the meeting "disrespectful" .

In Berlin I spoke to Foreign Minister @HeikoMaas on protests and our cause to free election and democracy in HK. Anticipating further discussion with members of the German Bundestag in coming days. pic.twitter.com/y8VCUZrE6s

The German foreign minister yesterday wrote on Twitter that "the right to freedom of expression is a fundamental principle that cannot be subject to any limitation", referring to the motto "a China two systems", entered into force in 1997 and with duration until 2047.

Protesters' protests began more than three months ago due to an extradition law in China for trials of people accused of serious crimes. Hong Kong residents demanded the definitive withdrawal of the bill by governor Carrie Lam, who arrived only a week ago after it was initially suspended. But now the protesters also call for an investigation into the brutality expressed by the police during the protests, the release of those arrested and greater democratic freedoms.

Just Carrie Lam, in the weekly press conference, explains: "The escalation of violence will not solve the social issues in Hong Kong that are raised in three months of protests". He then asked the protesters not to commit vandalism against public goods, after the last weekend there were fires in the streets. "Careless damage to subway stations goes far beyond China's extradition law," says Carrie Lam. According to the latest inspections, it appears that 40% of the 91 stations of the Hong Kong metropolitan transport network are damaged.