German Consul General Nikolaus Graf Lambsdorff (inset) says he is often misquoted but on Tuesday, he made it clear he could not have praised the students as their action is illegal. Photos: AFP, http://www.hongkong.diplo.de
German envoy: Hong Kong rosy despite protests
Hong Kong’s economy has been resilient to the street protests and is poised for a rosy picture, the Hong Kong Economic Journal reported Tuesday, citing a top German envoy.
German Consul General Nikolaus Graf Lambsdorff said he was shocked by the scale of the protest but he had not seen any significant negative impact on the economy.
However, some small merchants have been hurt to a certain degree, Lambsdorff told a diplomatic luncheon hosted by the Legislative Council Monday.
Lambsdorff said he has yet to hear any complaints from a German company and Hong Kong remains “very competitive” despite the seven-week-old street occupation.
He caused a stir after he appeared to praise the protesters during an Oct. 7 official reception attended by Chief Secretary Carrie Lam.
Lambsdorff used Monday’s event to set the record straight.
“I’m a civil servant from a foreign country. How could I praise the students [when their action is illegal]?” Lambsdorff said.
However, he said has walked past the protesters in Admiralty many times because his office is in the area, adding he has been “impressed by their tents”.
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