Beijing reiterates support for Hong Kong’s Lam, police

Police officers line up during a protest against what the activists see as excessive police force against protesters during previous demonstrations, near China's Liaison Office, Hong Kong, China, July 28, 2019 - Reuters

BEIJING/HONG KONG (Reuters): China reiterated on Monday its support for Hong Kong’s leader, Carrie Lam, and its police, and called on Hong Kong people to oppose violence following another weekend of clashes between protesters and police in the city.

Hong Kong bore the scars on Monday of its eighth straight weekend of violent protests, with hard hats, umbrellas and water bottles littering some central streets.

Millions have taken part in street protests against a now-suspended extradition bill that would have allowed criminal suspects in Hong Kong to be sent to China to face trial in Communist Party-controlled courts.

The protests have at times paralysed parts of the financial district, shut government offices and disrupted business operations across the city. Officials have also warned about the impact of the unrest on Hong Kong’s economy.

Beijing has stood by the city’s pro-Beijing leader Lam, and the Chinese government’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, which has cabinet-level authority over the former British colony, reiterated that support at a news conference in Beijing on Monday.

“The central government firmly supports Carrie Lam leading the Hong Kong government’s administration according to law, firmly supports the Hong Kong police strictly enforcing rule of law,” Yang Guang, a spokesman for the office, told a news conference. The most important thing was for Hong Kong to handle the unrest according to the law, Yang said, blaming irresponsible figures in the West for stirring up the trouble in a bid to contain China’s development.

Such efforts would fail, he said.

Asked under what conditions the People’s Liberation Army could intervene, Yang referred as other officials have done, to Hong Kong’s mini constitution, known as the Basic Law, which states that the Hong Kong government can ask the PLA garrison in the city to help maintain order.

The past weekend saw more clashes between protesters and police, who again fired rubber bullets and tear gas as the demonstrations grow increasingly violent.

Police sought to defend China’s main representative office in Hong Kong from protesters on Sunday for the second consecutive weekend, with the building near the heart of the city fortified with barricades.

Police said they had arrested at least 49 people over Sunday’s protests for offences including unauthorised assembly and possession of offensive weapons.