As President Obama said at a press conference in Beijing last month with President Xi Jinping standing right next to him, the United States consistently speaks out on the right of people to express themselves and encourages that the elections in Hong Kong are transparent and fair and reflective of the opinions of the people there. The legitimacy of the Hong King Chief Executive will be greatly enhanced by universal suffrage, by an election that provides the people of Hong Kong a meaningful choice of candidates representative of the voters' will. This means allowing for a competitive election in which a range of candidates with different policy approaches are given an opportunity to seek the support of eligible Hong Kong voters. In regard to the ongoing pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong, the United States has consistently emphasized our support for freedom of assembly and freedom of expression. The United States, as well as China, has a vested interest in preserving the system and autonomy of Hong Kong that brings stability and prosperity.