News Digest

Hong Kong calls off talks with students after call for ‘more protests’

Hong Kong’s government has called off talks with pro-democracy students planned for Friday which it was hoped would end more than a week of protests and mass sit-ins that have paralysed parts of the city. Chief Secretary Carrie Lam said it would be “impossible to have a constructive dialogue” after protest leaders called for an increase in efforts to occupy main protest areas. The protesters want a fully free vote in elections due to be held in 2017 for the post of chief executive. Last week thousands of demonstrators paralysed parts of the city but mass demonstrations have largely subsided in recent days.

The dialogue cannot be deployed as an excuse to incite more people to join the protest.

Carrie Lam