Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said that she felt "encouraged" following a closed-door meeting with Chinese leaders, when speaking to the press in Beijing on Monday.

Lam said that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier of the Chinese State Council Li Keqiang were "fully appreciative" of her efforts in Hong Kong, which has been swept by massive protests in the past months.

The embattled Hong Kong leader said that both Xi and Li had acknowledged that "this is the most severe and complicated situation Hong Kong has faced since the return of Hong Kong."

"The two leaders also reiterated that the most important task at present is to stop riots and restore social order," said Lam, adding that "in this work, we must adhere to the 'one country, two systems' principle."