Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption The BBC's Nick Beake described the "chaos" on the streets over the weekend

China has condemned the recent anti-government protests in Hong Kong as "horrendous incidents" that have caused "serious damage to the rule of law".

A spokeswoman for China's top policy office on Hong Kong insisted that the territory's "top priority" was to "restore social order".

The comments marked a rare intervention by the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office [HKMAO].

The city has seen eight consecutive weekends of anti-government protests.

There were violent clashes on Sunday as police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters. Barricades were also erected at several different locations in the city.

Although authorities in Beijing have condemned the protests and reiterated their support for Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam on several occasions, Monday's intervention is widely seen as conveying the official views of China's top leadership on the civil unrest for the first time.

What did China say?

A spokesman for the HKMAO, Yang Guang, condemned what he called the "evil and criminal acts committed by the radical elements" in Hong Kong.

"We call on the general public of Hong Kong to be aware of the grave nature of the current situation," he said at the news conference.

Image copyright EPA Image caption Monday's press conference was held by the Chinese government's top office that handles Hong Kong affairs

Spokeswoman Xu Luying added: "We also believe that Hong Kong's top priority... 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."

The office also:

Reiterated that the Chinese government "strongly" supports the leadership in Hong Kong

Called on the people of Hong Kong to "unequivocally oppose and resist violence"

Expressed support for the city's police force

Blamed the escalating tensions on "irresponsible figures in Western countries" who are hoping to "contain China's development"

The intervention came a week after protesters defaced the highly symbolic national emblem on the Chinese government's liaison office in Hong Kong, prompting fury in Beijing.

The authorities have now installed a protective casing around the sign.

As a former British colony, Hong Kong has its own legal and judicial systems, and has been promised "a high degree of autonomy" from the Chinese government except in foreign and defence affairs.

Image copyright AFP Image caption Protesters defaced the Chinese national emblem at the liaison office in Hong Kong

Claudia Mo, a Hong Kong legislator who supports the protest movement, said Beijing's latest comments could provoke further unrest.

"I'm so worried what happened in Beijing today [will] actually help fan the fire," she told the BBC. "The way they say they resolutely... support Carrie Lam and the police force. They are trying to divide Hong Kong."

Bruce Lui, a senior journalism lecturer at the Hong Kong Baptist University, said he could not recall a news conference on Hong Kong being called by the HKMAO.

"Beijing is repeating what it has said before. It condemns violence, supports Carrie Lam and Hong Kong police," he told the BBC. "But when asked about the deployment of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops, the spokesperson showed a rather distant attitude."

Although PLA troops are stationed in Hong Kong, they are not expected to interfere in local issues. But the law does permit Hong Kong's government to request assistance from the PLA for the purposes of maintaining public order or disaster relief.

China's two-pronged strategy

Image copyright AFP

Analysis by Celia Hatton, BBC News, Beijing

Beijing seems to be trying to get a grip of the turmoil in Hong Kong with a two-pronged strategy.

It is sharing its views on why the territory's residents are protesting, blaming a small number of "radicals" who are influenced by overseas forces. But it is also trying to maintain some distance by reaffirming its support for the authorities there.

The spokespeople continually praised the actions of the "courageous" police. The one question that was quickly batted away in the news conference was a query about the possible intervention by Chinese forces.

At times they sounded conciliatory. They also expressed support for Hong Kong's unhappy youth, noting that more needed to be done to provide affordable housing and employment.

But much more time was focused on Beijing's reasoning for what has gone so wrong. The officials repeatedly blamed "irresponsible figures" in the West. They also said that many in Hong Kong support the territory's chief executive, Carrie Lam, although they said those individuals are "relatively quiet".

It seemed that Beijing was not even bothering to win over sceptics in Hong Kong. Instead, this press conference repeated views already found in China's state media. This kind of media outreach was new - but the viewpoints don't appear to have changed.

How did we get here?

Demonstrations began when the Hong Kong government introduced a controversial bill that would have enabled extraditions to mainland China.

It sparked huge protests as critics feared the bill would undermine Hong Kong's freedoms, and be used to target political activists.

The row intensified as police were accused of using excessive force on anti-extradition bill protesters.

Image copyright Reuters Image caption There have been clashes near China's liaison office in the territory

Tensions increased further last Sunday, when suspected triad members descended on a subway station in Yuen Long, beating protesters, passersby and journalists with sticks.

Demonstrators accused the police of colluding with the triads - claims denied by the police.

The authorities say they have arrested 12 people over the attack, including nine men with links to triads.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption A large group of masked men in white T-shirts stormed Yuen Long station

The anti-extradition protests have morphed into a broader movement.

While the government has paused work on the extradition bill, protesters now want it withdrawn completely, as well as an independent inquiry into police violence, and democratic reform.

They want the territory's leader, Carrie Lam, who is not directly elected by voters and whose handling of the crisis has been widely criticised, to resign.

Some protesters have also expressed their anger at the mainland Chinese government, which they say has been eroding freedoms in Hong Kong.

Timeline of events 2019

3 April - Hong Kong government introduces amendments to the city's extradition laws to the legislature that would allow criminal suspects to be extradited to mainland China.

9 June - In the first of many protests against the changes, an estimated one million people march to government headquarters.

12 June - Anti-extradition bill protesters block roads and try to storm government buildings - police fire tear gas, rubber bullets and bean bag rounds at protesters, in the worst violence the city has seen in decades.

15 June - In a dramatic reversal, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam indefinitely delays the bill.

16 June - Despite the delay, an estimated two million people take to the streets demanding the complete withdrawal of the bill, as well as an investigation into alleged police violence and Carrie Lam's resignation.

21 June - As anger grows towards police, protests blockade police headquarters for 15 hours. They now also want protesters that were arrested to be exonerated.

1 July - On the anniversary of Hong Kong's handover from the UK to China, the Legislative Council (LegCo) building is stormed and broken into by protesters.

21 July- Protesters deface China's Liaison Office in Hong Kong. That same night mobs of men wearing white shirts attack protesters and commuters in Yuen Long station, near mainland China, in a new escalation of violence. </s> HONG KONG (AP) — China’s government strongly backed Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s embattled administration on Tuesday, saying the occupation and vandalizing of the city’s legislature by pro-democracy protesters amounted to “serious illegal acts” that endangered the social order.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Beijing condemned the acts that saw several hundred demonstrators break through glass and steel barriers to enter the building on Monday night.

Geng said China's central government strongly supported Hong Kong's government and its police force in dealing with the incident in accordance with law.

"The violent attacks ... are serious illegal acts that trample on the rule of law and endanger social order. We strongly condemn it," Geng told reporters at a daily briefing.

Geng also reiterated China's rejection of any foreign nation commenting on or intervening in protest actions in Hong Kong, saying such matters were a purely Chinese affair and other countries "must not support any violent criminals in any form, and not send any misleading signals or take any erroneous actions."

The Cabinet's Hong Kong affairs office issued virtually an identical statement under the name of an unidentified spokesman.

Geng's comments follow the publication of an editorial by a ruling Chinese Communist Party newspaper that said the demonstrators who broke into the local legislature showed their "arrogance" and had no regard for the rule of law.

Chinese state media ran footage of police in Hong Kong clearing protesters from streets in the early hours of Tuesday in a break with their silence over days of pro-democracy demonstrations that have challenged Beijing's authority over the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

Beijing has largely sought to downplay the demonstrations that have highlighted doubts about the validity of its "one country, two systems" formula for governing the former British colony. Its coverage of the protests and the publication of a harsh editorial in the official Communist Party newspaper Global Times may indicate it is prepared to take a tougher line against the demonstrators following days of forbearance.

"These violent assailants in their arrogance pay no heed to Hong Kong's law, no doubt arousing the anger and sadness of all people of the city of Hong Kong," the editorial said.

Veteran opposition figure Joshua Wong acknowledged that the damage to the legislative offices has drawn criticism from some sectors in the Asian financial hub. But he said mass participation in marches and rallies over previous weeks showed there was a groundswell of support for the demonstrators' goals of demanding more accountability from Lam's administration.

"I understand people in Hong Kong and around the world might not 100% agree or disagree on all of the behavior of protesters ... but all of the requests have been ignored. So is there any way out?" Wong said.

Lam is "not capable as leader anymore" and should resign, Wong said, echoing the demand of many protesters. Having been elected by a Beijing-approved committee, Lam is reliant on continuing support from Beijing, which has shown no outward signs of abandoning her so far.

Wong also alleged that police officers had "double standards" in enforcing the law, saying pro-Beijing legislators and their staff members have benefited by better treatment than their opposition counterparts throughout the weeks of protest outside the legislature.

On the mainland, Beijing had sought to suppress news of the protests, which roughly coincided with celebrations of the 22nd anniversary of Hong Kong's handover from British to Chinese rule. The demonstrations reflect mounting frustration with Lam and her government for not responding to demands from opposition figures that were originally sparked by a government attempt to change extradition laws to allow suspects to be sent to China for trial. Lam has shelved the bills but not agreed to scrap them altogether as opponents insist she does.

Hundreds of protesters swarmed into Hong Kong's legislature Monday night, defacing portraits of lawmakers and spray-painting pro-democracy slogans in the chamber before vacating it as riot police cleared surrounding streets with tear gas and then moved inside.

Protesters whacked away at thick glass windows until they shattered and then pried open steel security gates. Police initially retreated as the protesters entered, avoiding a confrontation and giving them the run of the building, during which they spray painted slogans calling for a democratic election of Hong Kong's leader and denouncing the extradition legislation. Many wore yellow and white helmets, face masks and the black T-shirts that have become their uniform.

The actions prompted organizers of a separate peaceful march against the extradition bill to change the endpoint of their protest from the legislature to a nearby park, after police asked them to call it off or change the route. Police wanted the march to end earlier in Hong Kong's Wan Chai district, but organizers said that would leave out many people who planned to join the march along the way.

Police estimated that 190,000 people joined the peaceful march, the third major one in as many weeks. Organizers put the turnout at 550,000.

The extradition proposal has heightened fears of eroding freedoms in Hong Kong, which Britain returned to China on July 1, 1997. Debate on the measure has been suspended indefinitely. Protesters want the bills formally withdrawn and Lam to resign.

Lam, who has come under withering criticism for trying to push the legislation through, called a rare pre-dawn news conference with security officials Tuesday at police headquarters. She noted that two different protests happened Monday — one a generally orderly march that reflected Hong Kong's inclusiveness, the other using vandalism and violence.

"This is something we should seriously condemn," she said.

Lam disputed protesters' complaints that officials had not responded to them, saying the government explained that by suspending the bill with no timetable or plan to revisit it, the legislation would die at the end of the current legislative session in July 2020.

For the other demands, she said releasing arrested protesters without an investigation would not uphold the rule of law.

The extradition bill controversy has given fresh momentum to Hong Kong's pro-democracy opposition movement, awakening broader concerns that China is chipping away at the rights guaranteed to Hong Kong for 50 years under the "one country, two systems" framework. The two marches in June drew more than a million people, according to organizer estimates.

Surveying damage to the building on Tuesday morning, Legislative Council President Andrew Leung said the previous night's violence had undermined "the core values of Hong Kong." He said police were collecting evidence of criminal wrongdoing.

"I believe many Hong Kong people will share the same feeling with me that we are saddened by what happened last night. For the best interest of Hong Kong, I hope that all of us can find the way forward professionally," Leung said.

While the extradition bills and police use of tear gas and rubber bullets against protesters have drawn expressions of concern from professional groups and foreign governments, the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong said Tuesday that it supported Lam's government in condemning the violence at the legislature.

“We believe the violent protests of recent days do not reflect how the majority of people in this dynamic and advanced economy would choose to be heard,” the chamber said in an emailed statement. </s> HONG KONG (AP) — China's government strongly backed Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam's embattled administration on Tuesday, saying the occupation and vandalizing of the city's legislature by pro-democracy protesters amounted to "serious illegal acts" that endangered the social order.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Beijing condemned the acts that saw several hundred demonstrators break through glass and steel barriers to enter the building on Monday night.

Geng said China's central government strongly supported Hong Kong's government and its police force in dealing with the incident in accordance with law.

"The violent attacks ... are serious illegal acts that trample on the rule of law and endanger social order. We strongly condemn it," Geng told reporters at a daily briefing.

Geng also reiterated China's rejection of any foreign nation commenting on or intervening in protest actions in Hong Kong, saying such matters were a purely Chinese affair and other countries "must not support any violent criminals in any form, and not send any misleading signals or take any erroneous actions."

The Cabinet's Hong Kong affairs office issued virtually an identical statement under the name of an unidentified spokesman.

Geng's comments follow the publication of an editorial by a ruling Chinese Communist Party newspaper that said the demonstrators who broke into the local legislature showed their "arrogance" and had no regard for the rule of law.

Chinese state media ran footage of police in Hong Kong clearing protesters from streets in the early hours of Tuesday in a break with their silence over days of pro-democracy demonstrations that have challenged Beijing's authority over the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

Beijing has largely sought to downplay the demonstrations that have highlighted doubts about the validity of its "one country, two systems" formula for governing the former British colony. Its coverage of the protests and the publication of a harsh editorial in the official Communist Party newspaper Global Times may indicate it is prepared to take a tougher line against the demonstrators following days of forbearance.

"These violent assailants in their arrogance pay no heed to Hong Kong's law, no doubt arousing the anger and sadness of all people of the city of Hong Kong," the editorial said.

Veteran opposition figure Joshua Wong acknowledged that the damage to the legislative offices has drawn criticism from some sectors in the Asian financial hub. But he said mass participation in marches and rallies over previous weeks showed there was a groundswell of support for the demonstrators' goals of demanding more accountability from Lam's administration.

"I understand people in Hong Kong and around the world might not 100% agree or disagree on all of the behavior of protesters ... but all of the requests have been ignored. So is there any way out?" Wong said.

Lam is "not capable as leader anymore" and should resign, Wong said, echoing the demand of many protesters. Having been elected by a Beijing-approved committee, Lam is reliant on continuing support from Beijing, which has shown no outward signs of abandoning her so far.

Wong also alleged that police officers had "double standards" in enforcing the law, saying pro-Beijing legislators and their staff members have benefited by better treatment than their opposition counterparts throughout the weeks of protest outside the legislature.

On the mainland, Beijing had sought to suppress news of the protests, which roughly coincided with celebrations of the 22nd anniversary of Hong Kong's handover from British to Chinese rule. The demonstrations reflect mounting frustration with Lam and her government for not responding to demands from opposition figures that were originally sparked by a government attempt to change extradition laws to allow suspects to be sent to China for trial. Lam has shelved the bills but not agreed to scrap them altogether as opponents insist she does.

Hundreds of protesters swarmed into Hong Kong's legislature Monday night, defacing portraits of lawmakers and spray-painting pro-democracy slogans in the chamber before vacating it as riot police cleared surrounding streets with tear gas and then moved inside.

Protesters whacked away at thick glass windows until they shattered and then pried open steel security gates. Police initially retreated as the protesters entered, avoiding a confrontation and giving them the run of the building, during which they spray painted slogans calling for a democratic election of Hong Kong's leader and denouncing the extradition legislation. Many wore yellow and white helmets, face masks and the black T-shirts that have become their uniform.

The actions prompted organizers of a separate peaceful march against the extradition bill to change the endpoint of their protest from the legislature to a nearby park, after police asked them to call it off or change the route. Police wanted the march to end earlier in Hong Kong's Wan Chai district, but organizers said that would leave out many people who planned to join the march along the way.

Police estimated that 190,000 people joined the peaceful march, the third major one in as many weeks. Organizers put the turnout at 550,000.

The extradition proposal has heightened fears of eroding freedoms in Hong Kong, which Britain returned to China on July 1, 1997. Debate on the measure has been suspended indefinitely. Protesters want the bills formally withdrawn and Lam to resign.

Lam, who has come under withering criticism for trying to push the legislation through, called a rare pre-dawn news conference with security officials Tuesday at police headquarters. She noted that two different protests happened Monday — one a generally orderly march that reflected Hong Kong's inclusiveness, the other using vandalism and violence.

"This is something we should seriously condemn," she said.

Lam disputed protesters' complaints that officials had not responded to them, saying the government explained that by suspending the bill with no timetable or plan to revisit it, the legislation would die at the end of the current legislative session in July 2020.

For the other demands, she said releasing arrested protesters without an investigation would not uphold the rule of law.

The extradition bill controversy has given fresh momentum to Hong Kong's pro-democracy opposition movement, awakening broader concerns that China is chipping away at the rights guaranteed to Hong Kong for 50 years under the "one country, two systems" framework. The two marches in June drew more than a million people, according to organizer estimates.

Surveying damage to the building on Tuesday morning, Legislative Council President Andrew Leung said the previous night's violence had undermined "the core values of Hong Kong." He said police were collecting evidence of criminal wrongdoing.

"I believe many Hong Kong people will share the same feeling with me that we are saddened by what happened last night. For the best interest of Hong Kong, I hope that all of us can find the way forward professionally," Leung said.

While the extradition bills and police use of tear gas and rubber bullets against protesters have drawn expressions of concern from professional groups and foreign governments, the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong said Tuesday that it supported Lam's government in condemning the violence at the legislature.

"We believe the violent protests of recent days do not reflect how the majority of people in this dynamic and advanced economy would choose to be heard," the chamber said in an emailed statement.

Associated Press writer Christopher Bodeen in Beijing contributed to this report. </s> Protesters gather inside the meeting hall of the Legislative Council in Hong Kong, Monday, July 1, 2019. Protesters in Hong Kong took over the legislature’s main building Friday night, tearing down portraits of legislative leaders and spray painting pro-democracy slogans on the walls of the main chamber. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

HONG KONG (AP) — China’s government strongly backed Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s embattled administration on Tuesday, saying the occupation and vandalizing of the city’s legislature by pro-democracy protesters amounted to “serious illegal acts” that endangered the social order.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Beijing condemned the acts that saw several hundred demonstrators break through glass and steel barriers to enter the building on Monday night.

Geng said China’s central government strongly supported Hong Kong’s government and its police force in dealing with the incident in accordance with law.

“The violent attacks … are serious illegal acts that trample on the rule of law and endanger social order. We strongly condemn it,” Geng told reporters at a daily briefing.

Geng also reiterated China’s rejection of any foreign nation commenting on or intervening in protest actions in Hong Kong, saying such matters were a purely Chinese affair and other countries “must not support any violent criminals in any form, and not send any misleading signals or take any erroneous actions.”

The Cabinet’s Hong Kong affairs office issued virtually an identical statement under the name of an unidentified spokesman.

Geng’s comments follow the publication of an editorial by a ruling Chinese Communist Party newspaper that said the demonstrators who broke into the local legislature showed their “arrogance” and had no regard for the rule of law.

Chinese state media ran footage of police in Hong Kong clearing protesters from streets in the early hours of Tuesday in a break with their silence over days of pro-democracy demonstrations that have challenged Beijing’s authority over the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

Beijing has largely sought to downplay the demonstrations that have highlighted doubts about the validity of its “one country, two systems” formula for governing the former British colony. Its coverage of the protests and the publication of a harsh editorial in the official Communist Party newspaper Global Times may indicate it is prepared to take a tougher line against the demonstrators following days of forbearance.

“These violent assailants in their arrogance pay no heed to Hong Kong’s law, no doubt arousing the anger and sadness of all people of the city of Hong Kong,” the editorial said.

Veteran opposition figure Joshua Wong acknowledged that the damage to the legislative offices has drawn criticism from some sectors in the Asian financial hub. But he said mass participation in marches and rallies over previous weeks showed there was a groundswell of support for the demonstrators’ goals of demanding more accountability from Lam’s administration.

“I understand people in Hong Kong and around the world might not 100% agree or disagree on all of the behavior of protesters … but all of the requests have been ignored. So is there any way out?” Wong said.

Lam is “not capable as leader anymore” and should resign, Wong said, echoing the demand of many protesters. Having been elected by a Beijing-approved committee, Lam is reliant on continuing support from Beijing, which has shown no outward signs of abandoning her so far.

Wong also alleged that police officers had “double standards” in enforcing the law, saying pro-Beijing legislators and their staff members have benefited by better treatment than their opposition counterparts throughout the weeks of protest outside the legislature.

On the mainland, Beijing had sought to suppress news of the protests, which roughly coincided with celebrations of the 22nd anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover from British to Chinese rule. The demonstrations reflect mounting frustration with Lam and her government for not responding to demands from opposition figures that were originally sparked by a government attempt to change extradition laws to allow suspects to be sent to China for trial. Lam has shelved the bills but not agreed to scrap them altogether as opponents insist she does.

Hundreds of protesters swarmed into Hong Kong’s legislature Monday night, defacing portraits of lawmakers and spray-painting pro-democracy slogans in the chamber before vacating it as riot police cleared surrounding streets with tear gas and then moved inside.

Protesters whacked away at thick glass windows until they shattered and then pried open steel security gates. Police initially retreated as the protesters entered, avoiding a confrontation and giving them the run of the building, during which they spray painted slogans calling for a democratic election of Hong Kong’s leader and denouncing the extradition legislation. Many wore yellow and white helmets, face masks and the black T-shirts that have become their uniform.

The actions prompted organizers of a separate peaceful march against the extradition bill to change the endpoint of their protest from the legislature to a nearby park, after police asked them to call it off or change the route. Police wanted the march to end earlier in Hong Kong’s Wan Chai district, but organizers said that would leave out many people who planned to join the march along the way.

Police estimated that 190,000 people joined the peaceful march, the third major one in as many weeks. Organizers put the turnout at 550,000.

The extradition proposal has heightened fears of eroding freedoms in Hong Kong, which Britain returned to China on July 1, 1997. Debate on the measure has been suspended indefinitely. Protesters want the bills formally withdrawn and Lam to resign.

Lam, who has come under withering criticism for trying to push the legislation through, called a rare pre-dawn news conference with security officials Tuesday at police headquarters. She noted that two different protests happened Monday — one a generally orderly march that reflected Hong Kong’s inclusiveness, the other using vandalism and violence.

“This is something we should seriously condemn,” she said.

Lam disputed protesters’ complaints that officials had not responded to them, saying the government explained that by suspending the bill with no timetable or plan to revisit it, the legislation would die at the end of the current legislative session in July 2020.

For the other demands, she said releasing arrested protesters without an investigation would not uphold the rule of law.

The extradition bill controversy has given fresh momentum to Hong Kong’s pro-democracy opposition movement, awakening broader concerns that China is chipping away at the rights guaranteed to Hong Kong for 50 years under the “one country, two systems” framework. The two marches in June drew more than a million people, according to organizer estimates.

Surveying damage to the building on Tuesday morning, Legislative Council President Andrew Leung said the previous night’s violence had undermined “the core values of Hong Kong.” He said police were collecting evidence of criminal wrongdoing.

“I believe many Hong Kong people will share the same feeling with me that we are saddened by what happened last night. For the best interest of Hong Kong, I hope that all of us can find the way forward professionally,” Leung said.

While the extradition bills and police use of tear gas and rubber bullets against protesters have drawn expressions of concern from professional groups and foreign governments, the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong said Tuesday that it supported Lam’s government in condemning the violence at the legislature.

“We believe the violent protests of recent days do not reflect how the majority of people in this dynamic and advanced economy would choose to be heard,” the chamber said in an emailed statement.

Associated Press writer Christopher Bodeen in Beijing contributed to this report. </s> BEIJING: China on Monday (Aug 12) slammed violent protesters in Hong Kong who had thrown petrol bombs at police officers and linked them to "terrorism", as Beijing ramps up its rhetoric against pro-democracy demonstrations in the financial hub.

"Hong Kong's radical demonstrators have repeatedly used extremely dangerous tools to attack police officers, which already constitutes a serious violent crime, and also shows the first signs of terrorism emerging," said Yang Guang, spokesman for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council.

"This wantonly tramples on Hong Kong's rule of law and social order," he said at a press briefing in Beijing.

Yang's remarks came a day after thousands of pro-democracy protesters defied warnings from authorities to hit the streets for the 10th weekend in a row.

Hong Kong police fired volleys of tear gas Sunday at protestors after denying their requests for permits to stage a march.

But Yang focused on the violent behavior of a "tiny minority", which he condemned as "a serious challenge to Hong Kong's prosperity and stability."

The two-month crisis, which was triggered by opposition to a planned extradition law, has morphed into a wider movement for democratic reform and a halt to eroding freedoms.

It is the biggest threat to Beijing's rule of the semi-autonomous southern Chinese city since its handover from Britain in 1997 - and has drawn repeated criticism but no forceful actions yet from the central Chinese government. </s> BEIJING (AP) — China blamed Western forces and defended police conduct after Hong Kong endured another weekend of violent clashes between protesters and police.

Some "irresponsible people" in the West have applied "strange logic" that made them sympathetic and tolerant to "violent crimes" but critical of the police force's "due diligence," a Chinese government spokesman said at a news briefing Monday.

"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," said Yang Guang, spokesman for the Chinese Cabinet's Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, without mentioning any specific individuals or countries.

He added that such attempts will come to nothing because Beijing will tolerate no outside interference in Hong Kong's affairs.

Residents of the semi-autonomous Chinese territory began protesting in early June for the government to withdraw an extradition bill that would have allowed people to be sent to stand trial in mainland China, where critics say their legal rights would be threatened. The government suspended the bill, but the protests have expanded to calls for democracy and government accountability.

Police on Sunday repeatedly fired tear gas and rubber bullets to drive back protesters blocking Hong Kong streets with road signs and umbrellas.

The protesters have demanded an independent inquiry into police conduct at the protests, which they say has been abusive.

At least one woman was knocked down when police used rods Saturday to disperse crowds in Hong Kong's Yuen Long area, where officers later charged into a train station swinging batons. Protesters were "holding iron poles, self-made shields and even removing fences from roads," police said in a statement that accused demonstrators of putting officers' lives in danger by surrounding an occupied police vehicle.

Yang said the Chinese government firmly supports the police in Hong Kong.

"We understand the huge pressure facing the Hong Kong police and their families," he said, "and would like to salute the Hong Kong police who have been fearlessly sticking to their posts and fulfilling their duties against all odds."

Hong Kong's government and police force have said the protests have placed considerable strain on their officers, who are dispatched in large numbers for the protests, which occur at least once a week and generally go late into the night despite repeated appeals to disband. Hong Kong authorities said these pressures made it difficult for police to act immediately when a band of white-clad assailants beat people inside the Yuen Long train station on July 21.

Protesters said the slow police response to that attack indicated that officers were colluding with the attackers — an allegation that authorities have refuted. Last Monday, police arrested six men in connection with the attack, including some linked to triad gangs.

Pro-Beijing lawmakers in Hong Kong said the "general wishes" of the city's residents are for the violence to stop immediately.

"Regardless of your stance, I think all this violence should not continue because it brings no benefit to any person," said legislator Starry Lee.

Claudia Mo, a pro-democracy lawmaker, said she fears the Chinese government's statements will further inflame demonstrators.

"I'm so worried that what happened in Beijing this afternoon will actually help fan the fire of what's already been a tsunami of protests in Hong Kong," Mo said, noting that the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office appeared to fully support the police and Hong Kong's leader, Carrie Lam.

Tam reported from Hong Kong. Associated Press news assistants Nadia Lam and Phoebe Lai in Hong Kong contributed to this report.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. </s> China’s Hong Kong Liaison office said on Wednesday that anti-government protesters were no different to “terrorists”, as US president Donald Trump said Chinese troops were moving to the border with Hong Kong and urged calm.

The Beijing-based Hong Kong and Macau Affairs office on Wednesday said extremely violent crimes must be severely punished in accordance with the law.

The strongly worded statements by China’s central government follows violent clashes between black clad protesters and riot police at Hong Kong’s international airport, which saw hundreds of flights halted for a second day.

A few dozen protesters remained at the airport on Wednesday while workers scrubbed it clean of blood and debris. Check-in counters reopened to queues of hundreds of weary travellers who had waited overnight for their flights.

Ten weeks of increasingly violent clashes between police and pro-democracy protesters, angered by a perceived erosion of freedoms, have plunged the Asian financial hub into its worst crisis since it reverted from British to Chinese rule in 1997.

China’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office said it strongly condemned the “near terrorism criminal actions” in Hong Kong including what it called a violent attack on a mainland Chinese journalist and tourist at the airport.

Police condemned violent acts by protesters overnight and said a large group had “harassed and assaulted a visitor and a journalist”. Some protesters said they believed one of those men was an undercover Chinese agent, while another was confirmed as a reporter from China’s Global Times newspaper.

Five people were detained in the latest disturbances, police said, bringing the number of those arrested since the protests began in June to more than 600.

The protests began in opposition to a now-suspended bill that would have allowed the extradition of suspects for trial in mainland China but have swelled into wider calls for democracy.

Embattled Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has said the city has been pushed into a state of “panic and chaos”.

Demonstrators say they are fighting the erosion of the “one country, two systems” arrangement that enshrined some autonomy for Hong Kong when it returned to China in 1997.

The protests represent one of the biggest challenges for Chinese resident Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012.

In Washington, US president Donald Trump said the Chinese government was moving troops to the border with Hong Kong and urged calm.

China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has a garrison in Hong Kong but has remained in barracks since the protests started in April. However, the PLA garrison has issued a video showing “anti-riot” exercises, and its top brass have warned violence is “absolutely impermissible”.

As Hong Kong’s political crisis deepens, China denied a request for two US Navy warships to visit Hong Kong in the coming weeks, officials said.

Security at Hong Kong airport on Wednesday was stricter than usual with several entrances closed.

Hong Kong’s Airport Authority said it had obtained an interim court injunction to stop people from obstructing operations and that protesters could only demonstrate in designated areas.

Dicky, a 35-year-old protester at the airport for more than two days, said protesters would obey the injunction.

“We will continue to fight for what we deserve otherwise all of that would have been in vain,” he said, declining to give his full name.

Flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways published a half-page advertisement in the Hong Kong Economic Journal pledging its support for the government and calling for the resumption of the rule of law and social order.

China’s aviation regulator demanded last week that Cathay suspend personnel who engaged in or supported protests in Hong Kong from staffing flights into its airspace. The carrier later suspended two pilots.

Property developers Henderson Land Development, Cheung Kong Holdings and Sun Hung Kai Holdings also took out newspaper advertisement in support of the government on Wednesday.

Forward Keys, a flight data company, said the crisis had deterred people from making travel plans to the city, citing a 4.7 per cent fall in long-haul bookings to Hong Kong between June 16th and August 9th compared with the same period last year.

Statements of apology from protesters were displayed in the airport on Wednesday, promising to allow passengers to depart, to assist medical staff to carry out their duties and not to hinder the work of the press.

“We are not afraid of facing the issues directly...only afraid of losing your support to the whole movement due to our mistake, and that you give up on fighting.” –Reuters </s> Student Nathan Law (centre) who helped lead the 2014 protests, celebrates after winning a seat at the legislative council elections in Hong Kong, on Monday (AP photo)

HONG KONG — Several pro-independence candidates won seats in Hong Kong's first major election since pro-democracy protests in 2014, prompting a robust warning from China that any independence would damage the city's security and prosperity.

In comments carried by the official Xinhua news agency, China's Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office said it "resolutely opposed" any form of independence for Hong Kong, noting this would violate China's constitution.

The election of a new generation of pro-democracy activists in a record turnout in Chinese-controlled Hong Kong on Sunday underscores a deep divide in a city of more than 7 million people where tensions with Beijing are intensifying.

China bristles at open dissent, especially over sensitive matters such as demands for universal suffrage, and many in Hong Kong are increasingly concerned about what they see as Beijing's meddling in the city's affairs.

In the election, the pro-democracy opposition also kept its crucial one-third veto bloc in the 70-seat Legislative Council over major laws and public funding that has helped check China's influence.

The vote, which ushered in a new crop of legislators including a 23-year-old former protest leader who vowed to "fight" the Chinese Communist Party, underscores growing frustration with how Beijing has handled its "special administrative region" and marks a significant turning point.

The former British colony was handed back to China in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" agreement that promised to maintain the global financial hub's freedoms and separate laws for at least 50 years, but gave ultimate control to Beijing.

Beijing officials have repeatedly warned Hong Kong not to stray too far.

Despite the disqualification of six pro-democracy election candidates from the election in July on the grounds that they backed independence, at least five "localists" and younger democratic newcomers won seats, including Nathan Law, one of the leaders of mass democracy protests in 2014.

Those protests posed one of the greatest challenges to Beijing's rule in decades and were deemed illegal by the local government in Hong Kong and the central government in Beijing.

Localists put the interests of Hong Kong before those of Beijing.

"I'm quite shocked," said Law. "We inherit some spirit from the movement and I hope that can continue in the future... We still have to unite in order to have stronger power to fight the Chinese Communist Party."

Sunday's vote was the first major election since the 2014 student-led "Umbrella Revolution" protests that blocked roads for 79 days.

Since then, many disaffected youngsters have decried what they see as increasing Beijing interference stifling dissent and civil liberties, leading to a radicalisation of the political scene and occasional violent protests.

Several veteran democrats lost their seats, as voters backed a new batch of younger candidates espousing self-determination and a more confrontational stance with China.

"It's a new era," said Lee Cheuk-yan, a democratic lawmaker who lost his seat after more than two decades in public office.

"People want change, change meaning that they want new faces... but the price is a further fragmentation [of the democracy camp]. Ideologically they're talking about independence and they want to assert themselves."

Hong Kong Secretary for Constitutional Affairs Raymond Tam said the government would do its best to "bring them around to a more centrist position".

"But it's too early to say if this will be an issue," he said.

Pro-establishment lawmakers like Elizabeth Quat said she hoped the issue of splitting from China wouldn't enter the legislature or it could damage Hong Kong's economic interests.

"Independence is not realistic at all," she said. "Hopefully this will not be their main objective."

Voters flocked to cast ballots in record numbers with some having to wait several hours after polls closed, leading to some delays in vote counting on Monday.

"Hong Kong is really chaotic now. I want to do something to help," said 28-year-old Maicy Leung, who was in a snaking queue of several hundred. "It's to help the next generation and to help myself."

The Electoral Affairs Commission said 58 per cent of an eligible 3.8 million voters had cast their ballot, up from 53 per cent in 2012 and the highest legislative election turnout since 1997. </s> BEIJING (AP) — A spokesman for China's ceremonial legislature has condemned statements from U.S. lawmakers supportive of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement.

You Wenze called the comments "a gross violation of the spirit of the rule of law, a blatant double standard and a gross interference in China's internal affairs."

He says Hong Kong's 7.5 million people and Chinese population as a whole reject the actions of a "very small group of violent protesters" as well as "any interference of foreign forces."

You did not mention any specific lawmaker or comments, but numerous U.S. senators and Congress members, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have affirmed the U.S. commitment to human rights and urged the Hong Kong government to end the standoff.

Congress also has the power to pass legislation affecting Hong Kong's trading status.
The Chinese government's Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office condemns protests in Hong Kong as "evil and criminal acts committed by the radical elements", saying that Hong Kong's top priority is to "punish violent and unlawful acts in accordance with the law". Hong Kong legislators and journalists reject the statement from Beijing, expressing concern that this will worsen tensions.