China on Tuesday said a minority of “thugs” in Hong Kong, the semi-autonomous financial hub engulfed in pro-democracy protests for more than 12 weeks, were trying to turn it into an independent territory, adding it will not allow the situation to “continue unabated”.
Calling the situation “grim” despite positive developments, a government spokesperson added that Beijing firmly supports the city’s embattled chief executive, Carrie Lam, a day after an audio recording emerged where she says she wants to quit.
Beijing’s strong show of support for Lam and the sharp denouncement of the protests came on a day when President Xi Jinping said the country is entering a period where it faces “concentrated risks” – economically, politically and diplomatically – and the country must be able to fight and win against those who challenge China’s bottom lines.
Speaking at the Central Party School, Xi said there must be a “resolute struggle” against any risks and challenges to the party’s leadership, the country’s sovereignty and security and anything that threatens the country’s core interests, Reuters said in a report.
Xi said those struggles covered the economy, politics, culture, society, the environment, defense, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and diplomacy.
“They will become even more complex,” he added
In the context of the Hong Kong protests, China on Tuesday continued its show of support to the city’s top official, Lam.
“We firmly support Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam in leading the SAR (special administrative region) government,” Yang Guang, spokesperson for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of China’s central government, said at packed a press conference on Tuesday.
Student-led protests began in Hong Kong – administered by Beijing under the ‘one country, two systems principle – in June over a controversial extradition bill but has evolved into wider pro-democracy protests since the bill’s implementation was suspended.
The large-scale protests marked by clashes between protesters and police are described by China watchers as the biggest since the Tiananmen movement shook the Communist Party of China (CPC)-ruled country in 1989.
“It should be pointed out that Hong Kong situation is still grim and complex. Violence and illegal activities have not been totally kept at bay. The small number of radical rioters have doubled down on their violent activities and committed outrageous crimes,” Yang added.
Yang said the protests “far exceeded the scope of normal assemblies and rallies”, add the incidents would be considered “violent crimes” in “any country, any region, or under any legal system.”
Yang said violent unrest “gravely endangered the interests” of the territory and was “not at all about expressing any political demands” but instead about “political intimidation” incited by external forces.
When asked whether the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) garrison in the city could be deployed under the Basic Law that governs HK, spokesperson, Xu Luying didn’t give a clear answer but said Beijing will not “sit idly” if the current situation continues.
“The central government will never allow the situation in Hong Kong to continue unabatedly…the central government will never sit idly by,” Xu said, adding that the PLA will safeguard China’s territorial sovereignty.
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