Hong Kong leader receives China’s approval

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Tuesday said Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed a “high degree of trust” in how she has handled protests in the territory. The two leaders held unexpected talks on Monday night during a trade conference in Shanghai. In a statement released on Tuesday, China’s Communist Party called for an increase in “patriotic education” and warned the protesters that national interests outweigh the “two systems” policy that gives Hong Kong some autonomy.

What’s the latest on the protests? Authorities have detained more than 3,300 people since the pro-democracy movement ignited in June. On Wednesday, an anti-government attacker stabbed a pro-Beijing lawmaker as he campaigned for upcoming local elections. Junius Ho later said his rib cage blocked the knife and the wound was less than an inch deep. Protesters associate Ho with the violent crackdown on demonstrations.

Dig deeper: Read June Cheng’s Snapshots of China journal about Joshua Wong, a young, Christian leader in the protest movement.