This archive report was first published on 29 July 2019.
As the city of Hong Kong continues to reel from weeks of anti-government protests, there is growing frustration over the seeming inability or unwillingness of Beijing and the city's leaders to offer compromises or a solution.
What began as a mass display of opposition to an extradition bill two months ago has morphed into a wider pro-democracy movement that has thrown down the most significant challenge to Beijing's authority since Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
On Monday, the American Chamber of Commerce released a statement calling on the government to take immediate and tangible actions to address the root causes of the recent demonstrations and restore confidence in the city's status as Asia's pre-eminent international business and financial centre.
"The government should take immediate and tangible actions to address the root causes of recent demonstrations and restore confidence in the city's status as Asia's pre-eminent international business and financial centre," the Chamber said.
AmCham president Tara Joseph emphasized the need for clear leadership in meeting the expectations of Hong Kong people and restoring the city's international reputation for effective governance.
"A clear majority of our membership surveyed over the past week said the government needs to address the underlying causes of the protests and not simply to paper over the cracks of social instability with a short-term law-and-order fix," she added.
Beijing has thrown its support behind the administration of city leader Carrie Lam and issued increasingly shrill condemnations in the last two weeks, dismissing protester grievances and portraying the rallies as a foreign-funded conspiracy.
