US brushes off Chinese warning to Hong Kong consul general

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FILE PHOTO: U.S. and Chinese flags are seen in this illustration created on March 20, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

WASHINGTON - The U.S. State Department on Thursday brushed off a statement from the senior Chinese diplomat in Hong Kong warning the recently appointed U.S. consul general there against interference in the affairs of the Chinese-ruled city by colluding with anti-China forces.

U.S. diplomats represent our nation and are charged with advancing U.S. interests globally, which is standard practice for diplomats around the world including in Hong Kong, a senior State Department official said in a statement in response to the remarks about the consul-general, Julie Eadeh.

Cui Jianchun, Chinas top diplomat in Hong Kong, issued a statement earlier on Thursday, saying he met Eadeh on Tuesday to lodge solemn representations on her conducts (sic) since she assumed duties.

The statement, published on the website of his office, said Cui urged Eadeh to abide by fundamental norms governing international relations including non-interference in domestic affairs and make a clean break with anti-China forces.

It said Cui explicitly stated the Four Donts requirements, namely dont meet the people who the CG shouldnt meet with, dont collude with anti-China forces, dont instigate, assist, abet or fund any activities that undermine stability in Hong Kong, dont interfere with national security cases in Hong Kong.

Eadeh, who took up the post of consul general in August, ran afoul of Chinese authorities in 2019, during the first administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, when official Chinese media criticized U.S. diplomats for contacts with student leaders of