【英语中国】夏千福：美国将继续支持香港民主发展

Lately, the United States' top diplomat in Hong Kong has been feeling a lot like Yogi Berra.

Since arriving in the former British colony in July, Clifford Hart has mostly stayed mum, waiting two months to deliver his first public remarks in a Tuesday address. But even his limited comments so far-consisting of a written statement on arrival saying he was honored to be in Hong Kong during a key time in its democratic development-have been enough to attract umbrage, with Beijing's Ministry of Foreign Affairs commissioner recently warning him against interfering in the city's politics.

Since returning to Chinese control in 1997, Hong Kong has maintained its own independent political and economic systems.

Speaking Tuesday at an American Chamber of Commerce event, Mr. Hart said his comments had been misconstrued. 'I'm reminded of an observation ascribed to the great Yogi Berra: 'I never said most of the things I said,' ' Mr. Hart remarked, quoting the Major League Baseball player famed for his nonsensical aphorisms.

The consul general, who has served three tours in China, said there was nothing new about his remarks in support of local democracy. 'What I was saying is in fact merely a recitation of comments made by my predecessors,' he said, adding, 'the U.S. position on genuine universal suffrage is unchanged, we'll continue to speak out on it.'

Mr. Hart's outspoken predecessor, Stephen Young, was also periodically upbraided by Beijing for his commentary on politics in Hong Kong, which the central government has said can begin enjoying universal suffrage in 2017, though activists fear that recent comments by top officials suggest these freedoms will be more circumscribed than some had previously thought.

In his remarks, Mr. Hart said that after spending the past few weeks meeting with local leaders across the political spectrum, he is optimistic about Hong Kong's future and has no desire to lay out any prescriptions for its political system. He also said the U.S. hopes a public dialogue on what 2017 elections might look like will begin soon, and that the country intends to respect its outcome.

In his speech, he also extolled Hong Kong's milk tea, locally made bean sauce and rule of law (the last of which he cited for helping to attract some 1,400 U.S. companies to Hong Kong, where some 60,000 Americans reside).

Though reporters pressed Mr. Hart on how the U.S. would respond to allegations about American spying in the region made by former U.S. government contractor Edward Snowden, the consul general declined to reply. 'I'm not going to speak to allegations made by a fugitive who should be in the U.S. right now facing due process under civilian courts,' he said.

Regarding the Hong Kong government's official request for further clarification about such activities, Mr. Hart said simply that such letters had been passed back to Washington.

最近美国驻香港总领事夏千福(Clifford Hart)感觉自己的处境很像棒球运动员约吉·贝拉(Yogi Berra)。

Agence France-Presse/Getty Images美国驻香港总领事夏千福自7月份抵达这个前英国殖民地以来，夏千福基本保持沉默，等了两个月才在周二的讲话中首次公开发表个人评论。但尽管他迄今发表的言论有限，但已足以招致不满，中国外交部特派员最近警告他不要干预香港政治。夏千福在抵港时的一份书面声明中说，他很荣幸在香港处于民主发展的关键期之际来到这里。

自1997年回归中国以来，香港维持了自身独立的政治和经济体制。

夏千福周二在美国商会(American Chamber of Commerce)一个活动上说，他的讲话被误解了。他说，这让我想起了伟大的约吉·贝拉的一句名言：我说过的大部分话都不是我说的。约吉·贝拉是美国职业棒球大联盟(Major League Baseball)的球员，以经常说出一些荒谬的名言著称。

夏千福曾三次被外派到中国，他说，他有关支持香港民主发展的言论并无新意。他说，他的话实际上只是重复了他前任的观点。他还说，美国对普选的立场未变，我们将继续公开表达在这方面的观点。

夏千福的前任是直言不讳的杨苏棣(Stephen Young)，杨苏棣偶尔也会因为有关香港政治的言论而受到中国政府的指责。中国中央政府已表示香港可以在2017年开始普选，但活动人士担心，近期高级官员的讲话暗示，这种自由将比一些人此前预期的更有局限性。

夏千福在讲话中说，在过去几周与香港政界领导人会面后，他对香港的未来持乐观看法，并且无意为香港的政治体制开处方。他还说，美国希望香港很快能开始公开讨论2017年的选举可能是什么样子，而且美国将尊重其结果。

夏千福在讲话中还称赞了香港的奶茶、本地生产的豆酱和法治（他说香港法治帮助吸引了1,400家美国企业来到这里，目前有约6万美国人在香港居住）。

记者追问夏千福美国将如何回应前美国政府承包商雇员斯诺登(Edward Snowden)有关该国在亚洲进行间谍活动的指控，但他拒绝回答这个问题。他说：我不会谈论一个逃犯提出的指控，他现在应该在美国面临民事法庭的诉讼程序。

对于香港政府官员要求美国就此类间谍活动做进一步澄清一事，夏千福只是说，这类要求已经被转达给美国政府了。