Hong Kong Leader at a Loss for Words

Carrie Lam couldn't find the words to denounce Andy Chan today

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor was so angry -- she was at a loss for words.

The other day, stoked from all the publicity of of speaking at the Foreign Correspondents Club last week and causing a major kerfuffle in Hong Kong, Andy Chan Ho-tin decided to ratchet it up a notch. He sent a letter to American President Donald Trump, calling for China and Hong Kong to be kicked out of the World Trade Organization.

Chan called for China and HK to be kicked out of the WTO

It's laughable to say the least, but Chan actually dared to ask that the WTO membership be revoked for China and Hong Kong, citing a "rapid deterioration of freedoms" in the city and the loss of autonomy under Chinese rule.

He wrote that the US government should suspend the "differential treatment" given to the city under the United States-Hong Kong Policy Act, meaning China-targeted tariffs and trade policies would be applied to Hong Kong too.

Currently Hong Kong is benefiting from the trade dispute between China and the US, as many American fruits meant for the mainland are landing in the city at cheaper prices. 

Today before meeting with her advisers in the Executive Council, reporters asked Lam if she thought Chan's letter was appropriate.

"Of course such action is not appropriate," she said. "And just describing it as inappropriate perhaps has not reflected the public outcry and anger with that sort of action. I can only say that this is deeply regretted."

Chan wrote a letter to Trump, but there was no response

That's it? "Deeply regretted"?

How about absolutely abominable, or completely outrageous, totally despicable, utterly reprehensible, downright repugnant, terribly obnoxious...

Mrs Lam! There are so many adjectives you could have used!

In the end a spokesman from the US consulate in Hong Kong said Hong Kong was treated as "a special administrative region distinct from China for purposes of US domestic law".

"We judge that Hong Kong retains a sufficient level of autonomy to justify continued special treatment by the United States for bilateral agreements and programs."

Chan's request won't be entertained anytime soon. In the meantime we hope Lam will be brushing up on her vocabulary when it comes to adjectives. The more fiery the better.