The US consulate in Hong Kong and Macao tops social media polls on the “US consulate in China most likely to be closed,” after the US asked the Chinese consulate in Houston to close, which observers said reflects the Chinese public’s anger over US meddling in Hong Kong affairs and a warning to American “intelligence hegemony.”
Although the chance of closing the consulate in Hong Kong as a countermeasure may be remote, analysts noted that it would be perfect timing for China to clean up “redundant employees” in the US consulate doing intelligence work.
Observers estimated the US consulate has more than 1,100 employees. In 2019 during the peak of Hong Kong riots, the number of employees was estimated to top 1,600, while employees of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region were fewer than 200.
押後立選及DQ十二參選人 美駐港總領事突密晤梁家傑
政府宣布因應新冠肺炎疫情押後立法會換屆選舉至明年9月舉行。惟在宣布押後選舉前，有12名參選人被選舉主任裁定提名無效，取消參選資格(DQ)，其中包括公民黨4名參選人。有讀者提供片段，顯示在今日(4日)下午約3時，美國駐港澳總領事館總領事史墨客
Hanscom Smith ，到訪公民黨主席梁家傑位於中環太子大廈的律師樓，而該黨立法會議員楊岳橋亦有出席會面。在此敏感時刻，實在惹人遐想。
