Beijing’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office under the State Council, drew the line between those peacefully rallying and radical protesters, in a lengthy, live briefing from the capital.
Yang Guang, addressing the fourth such press conference about the unrest now in its 13th week in Hong Kong, said protesters are trying to divide Hong Kong from the mainland China and wreck the ‘One Country, Two Systems,’ governing arrangement.
He says the governing principle must be defended.
As on previous occasions, Yang repeated Beijing’s desire for the violence to end. The executive, legislature and judiciary should help restore law and order.
Protests, supported by external forces, have evolved into targeting the government and have gone beyond opposition to the extradition bill, Yang said.
Yang addressed the fourth such press conference about the unrest now in its 13th week in Hong Kong.
At the previous briefing on August 12, Yang made a statement and did not take media questions. On this occasion, journalists’ questions are being allowed and as a result, the briefing lasted about 70 minutes.
Dark hands with political goals are damaging Hong Kong’s financial center status and are showing signs of terrorism, and a color revolution, Yang said.
He laid down three points to be achieved.
Firstly, the people and the government must reject violence and support the Chief Executive Carrie Lam and the police.
And second, peaceful marches and challenges to national sovereignty are different. Rallies that abide by ‘One Country, Two Systems,’ should be allowed, but not those that endanger national security.
Thirdly, Hong Kong’s deep-rooted problems such as housing and the economy should be addressed.
When asked about emergency laws, spokeswoman Xu Luying, says Carrie Lam has the central government’s support to use all laws to establish the rule of law.
As for universal suffrage in Hong Kong, Yang says the opposition camp rejected the August 31, 2014, framework for political reform. He says that according to the Basic Law the chief executive and legislature can be elected by universal suffrage.
Yang insists that Hong Kong’s leader must love the country and has gained the trust of the central government.
Referring to class boycotts at schools and unverisities this week, Xu blames them on the opposition, which is instigating the boycotts, using the young as bargaining chips in their tussle against the government.
Responding to a question on deploying the People’s Liberation Army in Hong Kong, Xu says that under Article 18, national laws can be invoked in an emergency and that the military can be called out when matters are out of control.