US President Barack Obama insisted yesterday that Washington played no role in fostering “pro-democracy” protests that shut down parts of Hong Kong for six weeks.

The US has no desire to get involved in the dispute over procedures for nominating candidates for the Chinese autonomous region’s next chief executive, he told a news conference in Beijing.

“These are issues ultimately for the people of Hong Kong and the people of China to decide,” said Mr Obama.

However, he added that the US supported the right to free expression, both as a matter of foreign policy and of US values.

Hong Kong’s elections should be fair and transparent and “reflective of the opinions of people there,” he said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated China’s stance that the protests are illegal, promising that Beijing would support the region’s government in upholding the law and interests of both Hong Kong and foreign citizens in the financial centre.

“Hong Kong affairs are exclusively China’s internal affairs and foreign countries should not interfere in those affairs in any form or fashion,” he declared.

Hong Kong chief executive Leung Chun-ying has blamed unspecified foreign forces for providing material support to instigate and sustain the protests.

The Communist Party flagship People’s Daily newspaper published a front-page commentary last month accusing the US of fomenting the protests through the government-funded National Endowment for Democracy.

Hong Kong authorities have warned that protesters face arrest if they do not leave major streets following a court order Monday that authorised police to help enforce an order to dismantle barricades.