Hong Kong leader Leung Chun-ying said Sunday that the central authorities of China still trust his capacity to handle the Occupy Central movement in the Special Administrative Region (SAR).

Leung said the Beijing government is aware of the real situation in Hong Kong and is still confident that he can find a resolution to the pro-democracy protests. The Hong Kong leader's comments came after the central government voiced out its concern over the crisis, People's Daily Online reported.

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During a television interview, the Hong Kong Chief Executive said the protests were driven by external forces, including individuals and organizations outside the city and that the movement is not confined within Hong Kong. He added that those forces must have cooked up the movement over a long period of time.

In addition, Leung said the movement has now expanded beyond the control of even the organizers themselves.

"You now see them still writing articles about it or appearing in some neighborhoods that have been occupied," Leung said. "But they cannot end the movement, which is a major concern."

Coming up with a solution to the crisis in Hong Kong will take some time, and Leung said he is eager to pursue a peaceful way of ending the movement. He conveyed his gratitude to the central government for maintaining its confidence in the Hong Kong government, the report said.

Meanwhile, Leung still vowed to help Hong Kong attain universal suffrage for its 2017 elections. The SAR leader said he is taking steps to make that goal a reality.

Thousands of demonstrators, mostly students, participated in the Occupy Central movement to protest the National People's Congress Standing Committee's conditions for electing Hong Kong's next chief executive.

The Hong Kong Basic law states that the city's voters could decide who will be elected as their leader in 2017 through universal suffrage, the report stated.

TagsCY Leung, China-HK, HK protests, pro-democracy protests, Hong Kong