HONG KONG - Former editor-in-chief of local newspaper Ming Pao Kevin Lau was assaulted on Wednesday by an unidentified attacker on the Hong Kong Island.

Riding an electric bicycle, the sudden attacker stabbed Lau with a knife and left three major wounds on Lau's back. Lau was collecting his vehicle when he was attacked. He called the police and then was taken to a hospital where his condition turned to be critical.

Hong Kong Chief Executive C Y Leung seriously condemned the assault, saying that such violence was intolerable in Hong Kong which is a city ruled by law.

"The Special Administrative Region government and I deeply are concerned about the assault incident and expressed outrage and condemned the act of violence. The police will make complete investigation and I call on any person who is able to provide clues to the case to contact the police as soon as possible so as to bring the attacker to justice," Leung said in a statement.