China's diplomat in Hong Kong tells new US envoy not to 'interfere'

China's top diplomat in Hong Kong has rebuked his American counterpart just weeks after her arrival and warned her against meeting people she "shouldn't meet with," according to a statement released Thursday.

Julie Eadeh took over as the U.S. Consul General in Hong Kong and Macau in late August, following years of fraying ties between the Chinese finance hub and the United States over issues such as a Beijing-imposed national security law and the jailing of pro-democracy protesters.

Eadeh drew the ire of Hong Kong's pro-Beijing faction after opposition figures Anson Chan and Emily Lau were spotted among the guests at a recent consular reception.

Cui Jianchun, the commissioner of China's foreign ministry in Hong Kong, met Eadeh on Tuesday "to lodge solemn representations on her conducts since she assumed duties", his office said.

Cui also laid down four edicts: "Don't meet the people who the (consul general) shouldn't meet with, don't collude with anti-China forces, don't instigate, assist, abet or fund any activities that undermine stability in Hong Kong, don't interfere with national security cases in Hong Kong."

Eadeh was working as a U.S. diplomat in Hong Kong in 2019 when the city saw huge and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests, and had reportedly met with prominent democracy activists Joshua Wong and Nathan Law.

Since then, Beijing-backed newspapers Ta Kung Pao and Wen Wei Po have repeatedly condemned Eadeh as a "mastermind of causing chaos in Hong Kong" and cited her meeting with the activists as proof of foreign interference.

In his Tuesday meeting, Cui told the U.S. diplomat to "abide by fundamental norms governing international relations including non-interference in domestic affairs and make a clean break with anti-China forces."

China's office overseeing Hong Kong affairs have reposted multiple newspaper op-eds critical of Eadeh over the past two weeks.

AFP has contacted the U.S. consulate for comment

One major dispute between Beijing and Washington in Hong Kong concerns pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai, who faces up to life in prison after being charged with foreign collusion under the national security law.

Eadeh's predecessor Gregory May said earlier this year that U.S. President Donald Trump was "very concerned" about Lai, who remains behind bars as he awaits a verdict following the trial's conclusion in August.

Hong Kong authorities say that the media mogul has been given a fair trial and receives adequate medical care in prison.