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November 19, 2019

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China will act if protests in HK become 鈥榰ncontrollable鈥

Source: AFP | 00:05 UTC+8 November 19, 2019 | Print Edition

CHINA will not simply sit back and watch if months of protests in Hong Kong develop into an “uncontrollable” situation, China’s ambassador to Britain said yesterday.

“I think the Hong Kong government is trying very hard to put the situation under control,” Liu Xiaoming told a London press conference, as fresh violence erupted after months of protests.

“But if the situation becomes uncontrollable, the central government would certainly not sit on our hands and watch. We have enough resolution and power to end the unrest.”

Liu Xiaoming also warned against “external interference” in internal Chinese affairs, singling out Britain and the United States and accusing them of condoning violence by protesters.

“Some Western countries have publicly supported extreme violent offenders,” he said.

“The US House of Representatives adopted the so-called Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act to blatantly interfere in Hong Kong affairs, which are China’s internal affairs.

“The British government and the foreign affairs committee of the House of Commons published China-related reports making irresponsible remarks on Hong Kong.”

Liu also said that by criticizing violent actions by the authorities as well as by the protesters, Britain was in effect taking sides. “I think when the British government criticizes Hong Kong police, criticizes the Hong Kong government in handling the situation, they are interfering into China’s internal affairs,” he said.

“They look like they are balanced but as a matter of fact they are taking sides. That is our position.”

Last week, a Hong Kong government minister was injured as protesters surrounded her when she arrived for a speaking engagement in London.

The envoy said the “illegal, violent activities” of protesters had “pushed Hong Kong into an extremely dangerous situation.”

The unrest had eroded China’s “one country, two systems” approach to governing Hong Kong, although he said Beijing remained committed to the policy.

He accused demonstrators of trying to destabilise and paralyze Hong Kong to “seize power” in a push for independence.

“Hong Kong citizens live under black terror created by violent extremism with their life and property under severe threat,” he said.

Hong Kong’s economy has slumped into technical recession because of the months of protests.

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