Xi Jinping voices ‘trust’ in Hong Kong leader

SHANGHAI: Chinese President Xi Jinping has expressed a "high degree of trust" in Hong Kong’s unpopular leader Carrie Lam as the two met after months of increasingly violent protests in the semi-autonomous city.

Xi’s show of support follows speculation that Beijing was preparing to remove Lam as city authorities struggle to contain pro-democracy demonstrations that have rocked the financial hub.

Their meeting in Shanghai on Monday followed another weekend of violence in Hong Kong that was marked by a knife attack and the vandalising of an office of China’s official Xinhua news agency.

Xi said Lam has "done a lot of hard work" and strived to stabilise the situation in Hong Kong, according to a Xinhua readout of their meeting.