Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong expressed hopes for China to deal with the political issues in Hong Kong while retaining valuable status to not only the mainland but the broader region.
«[I hope China can deal with Hong Kong] in a way which would deal with a problem, but not shake confidence, and maintain the Hong Kong system intact so that it can be valuable to China and can be part of the prosperity in the region,» Lee said in an interview with «Bloomberg» at a recent forum.
According to Lee, he hopes the neighboring financial hub can «settle down to a new normal».
«New Normal»
Lee’s comments follow closely at the heels of China’s decision to pass a resolution allowing the disqualification of lawyers deemed insufficiently loyal, a move that immediately led to the disqualification of four lawmakers and the consequent resignation of 15 remaining opposition members, effectively making the Legislative Council – Hong Kong’s parliament – a pro-establishment body.
«We watch carefully and with some concern what’s happening in Hong Kong,» Lee said.
«That something was going to happen – was very much on the cards – and could not have been avoided because the demonstrations and the expressions of defiance could not have carried on indefinitely, certainly not to the end of ‘one country, two systems’ in 2047.»
