Washington will bar Chief Executive John Lee from the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum meeting in the US this November, along with ten other Hong Kong officials, the Washington Post reported on Friday citing sources. Lee is still under US sanctions.
The annual APEC CEO Summit 2023 will be held in San Francisco on November 15 and 16. The economic conference involves political leaders from the Asia-Pacific region. However, Lee is one of multiple Chinese officials who were sanctioned by the US in 2020 for their alleged role in cracking down on political freedoms in the city.
The move comes despite recent efforts by the Joe Biden administration to reset relations with Beijing.
‘Strong opposition’
The Washington Post cited US officials, speaking anonymously, as saying that other senior representatives from Hong Kong could still attend. A White House spokesperson told the paper: “We’re looking forward to the participation of all APEC member delegations in accordance with US laws and regulations.”
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, Liu Pengyu, told the Post that the move violates APEC rules: “We express our strong opposition…”
When asked by an HKFP reporter in May whether he was concerned, Lee said: “Hong Kong, China has been a member [of] APEC, and has been taking part in APEC conferences in accordance with [APEC] rules and conventions… So it is up to the organisers to act in accordance with these conventions.”
HKFP has reached out to the Chief Executive’s Office for comment.
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