HONG KONG – A Chinese state-run newspaper is blaming an American organization for being behind the pro-democracy protests that have rattled Hong Kong.
In a commentary published on the front page of the Communist Party-run People’s Daily’s overseas edition Friday, the paper said Louisa Greve, a director of the National Endowment for Democracy, had met with Hong Kong protest leaders months ago to discuss the movement. The paper did not identify the source of the information.
The National Endowment for Democracy, a non-profit group based in Washington, D.C., was not immediately available for comment Saturday.
U.S. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said Friday that U.S. officials “categorically reject accusations that we are manipulating the activities of any person, group or political party in Hong Kong.”
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