China warns unidentified foreign forces against fomenting violent protest rallies in Hong Kong

A Hong Kong policeman (C) falls backwards during scuffles with anti-government protesters at Hong Kong's International Airport on August 13, 2019. (Photo by AFP)
China says unidentified foreign forces are instigating violent protest rallies in Hong Kong, warning them that Beijing has noticed their “conniving” attempts and that they only inflict damage on themselves.

“Foreign forces must stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs,” said Chinese Ambassador to Britain Liu Xiaoming during a press conference held in London on Thursday.

The international financial hub has for well over two months plunged to unrest and is the scene of massive anti-government demonstrations over an extradition bill that if enacted would allow local authorities to detain and extradite suspects to be tried in mainland courts.

Although the government of the semi-autonomous Chinese region has effectively backed away from the bill, protests have persisted with individuals sometimes resorting to violence and vandalizing government buildings.

Protesters are demanding the resignation of Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam and a permanent withdrawal of the controversial bill.

Anti-government protesters block the entrance to the airport terminals after a scuffle with police at Hong Kong International Airport late on August 13, 2019. (Photo by AFP)
“Stop conniving in violent offenses - they should not misjudge the situation and go down the wrong path otherwise they will lift the stone only to drop it on their own feet,” Liu added.

He said the situation in Hong Kong would not have deteriorated to the current extent had it not been “for the interference and incitement of foreign forces.”

Liu further emphasized that Hong Kong is part of China and that no foreign country should meddle in the city’s “internal affairs”, warning that Beijing would “not sit on its hands” over the riots.
He also warned that if the situation worsened further in the region, the Chinese government would act to “quell unrest.”

"We have enough solutions and enough power within the limits of basic law to quell any unrest swiftly. Their moves are severe and violent offences, and already show signs of terrorism,” Liu said.

The Chinese ambassador to the UK also lambasted Western media for what he called unbalanced reporting and confusing right and wrong.
Liu’s remarks came as thousands of Chinese military personnel paraded at the Shenzhen Bay stadium in Shenzhen, a city in mainland China that borders Hong Kong.

Pictures released by agencies showed dozens of trucks and armored personnel carriers at and outside the stadium, which is situated just across a bridge that is one of the main access roads connecting the mainland with Hong Kong.

Hong Kong has been governed under a “one-country, two-system” model since the city — a former British colony — was returned to China in 1997.

China has repeatedly warned against violence in the region and has already said foreign countries, mainly the United States and Britain, have been provoking the riots. Beijing has asked the two countries to stop meddling in Hong Kong’s affairs.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Liu blamed some British politicians who still regard the international financial hub as part of the British empire.

“Good relations between the UK and China have to be based on no UK interference by the UK in China's internal affairs,” he insisted.

In the last few days, the ongoing protest rallies led to the Hong Kong International Airport, one of the busiest in the world, and forced it to close.