Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday praised beleaguered Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam as well as the city's police and said Beijing has "unswerving determination" to protect China's sovereignty over the former British colony as he met her for the second time in two months.

Since June, Hong Kong has seen massive, regular demonstrations, which started in opposition to a proposed bill that would have allowed its citizens to be extradited to the mainland. The protests quickly morphed into wider calls for democracy and opposition to growing Chinese influence. China has blamed Western countries for stirring up unrest in Hong Kong.