Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam in Beijing on Monday, saying the Asian financial hub was not yet out of the ¡°dilemma¡± facing the city¡¯s economy after months of sometimes violent protests. Li met with Lam during a regular duty visit where she is also due to hold a potentially pivotal meeting with President Xi Jinping.

The meetings come after Hong Kong police fired tear gas in late night street clashes with anti-government protesters on Sunday as the former British colony¡¯s worst political crisis in decades drags on into a seventh month.

¡°The SAR (special administrative region) government must continue its efforts, end violence and stop the chaos in accordance with the law and restore order,¡± Li said in his meeting with Lam, the opening remarks of which were broadcast by Cable TV.