China's Foreign Ministry on Friday rejected comments by US President Joe Biden that the closure of Hong Kong's Apple Daily newspaper signalled intensifying repression by Beijing in the semi-autonomous city.

Biden said on Thursday Apple Daily's demise was a "sad day for media freedom". Other foreign officials also expressed concern that it represented a further stifling of freedoms in Hong Kong, a trade gateway and international financial centre.

Apple Daily had been a thorn in Beijing's side, mixing pro-democracy discourse with celebrity gossip and investigations...