China: West stoking Hong Kong protests to undermine development

Beijing did not say who the people or countries behind 'irresponsible remarks' were

A pedestrian walks past graffiti on the street the morning after clashes between the police and demonstrators in Hong Kong. Bloomberg

Spokespersons of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of the State Council, Yang Guang (L), and Xu Luying (R), expressed its strong backing of the semi-autonomous island city’s handling of violent clashes. EPA

Pedestrians watch a screen broadcasting a news conference with Yang Guang in Hong Kong. Bloomberg

Workers walk past fallen barriers on the street the morning after clashes between the police and demonstrators during a protest in Hong Kong. Bloomberg

Broken bricks lie across the ground the morning after clashes. Hong Kong leaders have failed to quell the leaderless protest movement. Bloomberg

Protesters have regularly clashed with police who have fired rubber bullets, tear gas and used batons on demonstrators. Bloomberg

A worker sweeps up rubbish the morning after clashes between the police and demonstrators. Bloomberg

Demonstrators are shrouded in a cloud of tear gas on Des Voeux Road West during a protest in the Sheung Wan area of Hong Kong. Bloomberg

From an airport sit-in to violent clashes in a suburban area to aimless marches through busy shopping districts, Hong Kong's weekend of unrest illustrated the challenge of quelling a protest movement that's leaderless, unpredictable and widespread. Bloomberg

Members of the police force's Special Tactical Squad clash with demonstrators on Des Voeux Road West during a protest in the Sheung Wan area of Hong Kong. Bloomberg

Despite the controversial bill that sparked the protests being indefinitely withdrawn, the protests have continues. Bloomberg

Demonstrators light a fire in the middle of the road during a protest. Bloomberg

Demonstrators walk past tear gas during a protest in the Sheung Wan area of Hong Kong. Bloomberg

Western politicians are stirring up unrest in Hong Kong, hoping to create obstacles to China's development, a Chinese official said on Monday.

Yang Guang, a spokesman for the Cabinet’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, said such attempts would come to nothing because Beijing would tolerate no outside interference in the affairs of the former British colony, which has been wracked by nearly two months of pro-democracy protests.

China threw its backing behind Hong Kong's beleaguered leader Carrie Lam and the police, saying violent protesters must be swiftly punished.

While China has issued increasingly shrill condemnations of the protests in the last two weeks, it has largely left the city's pro-Beijing administration to deal with the situation.

Protesters had braced for a potential backlash from Beijing after China's top policy body on Hong Kong affairs called a rare news briefing on Monday.

But the Cabinet-level Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office merely repeated its condemnation of the protests and Beijing's "strong" support for Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam and the city's police force, which has been accused of using excessive force against protesters.

"No civilised society or rule of law society will tolerate rampant violence," Mr Yang told reporters.

Mr Yang said the violence, which he blamed on a "few radicals", had seriously undermined Hong Kong's prosperity and stability, and "bumped into the bottom line" of the "one country, two systems" principle that governs the financial hub.

Mr Yang said that some people in the West applied "strange logic" that prompted them to be sympathetic and tolerant to "violent crimes" while criticising the police force's "due diligence".

"At the end of the day, their intention is to create trouble in Hong Kong, make Hong Kong a problem to China, in order to contain China's development," Mr Yang said, without mentioning any specific people or countries behind the "irresponsible remarks".

The protests in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory began in early June as a call to withdraw an extradition bill that would have allowed people in Hong Kong to be sent to mainland China to stand trial.

Another spokeswoman, Xu Luying, said Beijing believed "Hong Kong's top priority task right now is to punish violent and unlawful acts in accordance with the law, to restore social order as soon as possible, and to maintain a good business environment".

Last week, the defence ministry pointed to a Hong Kong law under which the Chinese army could be used if the city authorities requested support to maintain "public order". When asked under which preconditions the military could be deployed, Mr Yang referred to the city's basic law, without elaborating.

In an editorial on Monday, the state-run China Daily newspaper signalled Beijing's growing concern.

"What is happening in Hong Kong is no longer the airing of real or imagined grievances," the editorial read.

"It is of the same hue as the colour revolutions that were instigated in the Middle East and North Africa – local anti-government elements colluding with external forces to topple governments utilising modern communication technology to spread rumours, distrust and fear."

Since the government indefinitely suspended the legislation, demonstrators have broadened their demands to include greater democracy and government accountability.

Pro-democracy protesters fought a second consecutive day of running battles with police on Sunday evening in a well-heeled residential district of Hong Kong, in some of the most sustained scenes of violence so far.

The clashes took place close to the Liaison Office, which represents Beijing in the semi-autonomous territory.

Early on Monday, police said 49 "radical protesters" had been arrested for a variety of offences on Sunday.

Police said protesters hurled bricks, bottles, paint bombs, corrosive liquids and used a crossbow to fire metal ball bearings. Bows and arrows were also later recovered from the scene, the force said.

Volleys of tear gas and rubber bullets arced through the air to clear the streets, with elite units known as "Raptor" squads arresting those left behind, almost all of them young men and women.

Medical authorities said 16 people were injured.

Sunday's violence came a day after police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters holding a banned rally against suspected pro-government Triad gangs in a town near the border with mainland China. Police arrested 13 people that day while hospital authorities said 24 people were hurt, two seriously.

The gangs had beaten pro-democracy demonstrators there the previous weekend, with at least 45 people taken to hospital.

Despite facing unprecedented levels of public anger and millions taking to the streets, the city's leaders have appeared unable, or unwilling, to end the chaos.

In a direct challenge to Beijing, the protesters have seized opportunities to deface symbols of China's sovereignty over Hong Kong.

Pro-democracy lawmaker Claudia Mo said the city was now trapped in a "vicious cycle" where huge peaceful marches that have been ignored by the government end with violence between police and small groups of hardcore protesters.

"You see force being escalated on both sides. But then this is a huge imbalance because the police are in possession of deadly weapons. This sums up Hong Kong today," she said.