Hong Kong democracy advocates say they will not be deterred from talking to U.S. diplomats in the territory in spite of Chinese complaints that the contacts may be illegal.

The U.S. consulate in Hong Kong also defended the contacts, saying Wednesday its staff has done nothing that is not in keeping with longstanding law and practice.

Chinese foreign ministry officials in Hong Kong are accusing the United States of meddling in the territory's political development. The charge is based on several hundred documents released by the WikiLeaks website recounting conversations between U.S. diplomats and prominent Hong Kong figures.

But Albert Ho, chairman of the Democratic Party in Hong Kong, told VOA's Mandarin service it is normal for foreign consulates to talk to local politicians. He said his party will continue to communicate openly with the consulate.

Pro-Chinese media in Hong Kong have focused their criticism on four individuals involved in political efforts to push for greater democracy in Hong Kong.

These are lawyer Martin Lee, publisher Jimmy Lai, former senior civil servant Anson Chan and Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, a former bishop of Hong Kong.

The South China Morning Post on Thursday quoted several figures involved in the affair as saying they will continue to talk to the consulate.

Hong Kong is a former British colony that was returned to China as an autonomous territory in 1997. Its basic law provides for it to retain its own political and economic systems independently from China.