China: HKong elections a purely internal affair

China's foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said Friday that Hong Kong's legislative election was "a purely internal affair" for China, adding that it was up to the Hong Kong authorities to ensure the vote would be safe, orderly, fair and just.

He was speaking as Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam announced the election was being postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Wang also refuted an allegation that hackers with links to the Chinese government attempted to steal data from US coronavirus vaccine developer Moderna.

And he described independence for Taiwan as an "impassable road," urging the international community not to send what he called "wrong signals to 'Taiwan independence' forces".

He was responding to the death Thursday of former Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui, a supporter of independence.

Wang was addressing a regular ministry news briefing in Beijing.