White House condemns Hong Kong election delay after Trump floated postponing US vote
Source: The Hill
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Friday condemned the decision to delay legislative elections in Hong Kong, one day after President Trump asked if the U.S. should postpone its own November election.
The Hong Kong government announced Friday that it would postpone elections scheduled for September due to the coronavirus pandemic, citing risks to public health and strains on campaigns and voters caused by social distancing requirements and travel restrictions.
Pro-democracy groups viewed the decision as an attempt to thwart opposition candidates challenging thouse supported by Beijing. Anti-establishment protests have roiled Hong Kong for more than a year, and have faced increasingly harsh crackdowns from the Chinese mainland.
The White House's clear condemnation of the decision was striking given that Trump a day earlier had raised the idea of delaying the U.S. election in November due to the coronavirus, citing baseless claims that mail-in ballots would lead to a fraudulent result.
Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/509975-white-house-condemns-hong-kong-election-delay-after-trump-floated
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