Commuters are reflected on a door panel of a subway train as they wait for the resumption of the services after being disrupted by protesters at Fortress Hill MTR station in Hong Kong, Monday, Aug. 5, 2019. Protesters snarled the morning rush hour by blocking train and platform doors to prevent trains from leaving stations. Subway and train operator MTR said Monday that service had been partially suspended on five lines because of a number of door obstruction incidents. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

HONG KONG (AP) — The Latest on the protests in Hong Kong (all times local):

Droves of protesters have filled public parks and squares in several Hong Kong districts to take part in a general strike.

Following a weekend of protests, demonstrators disrupted subways, air traffic and weekday activities Monday in an effort to bring more attention to their demands.

Hong Kong has seen pro-democracy protests for about two months.

Police in at least one district have used tear gas to disperse crowds.

Protesters dressed in black sat in the shade of office buildings in the city’s business district with open umbrellas and posters condemning the police as “gangsters.”

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam says she has no plans to resign over the civil unrest targeting her administration.

Lam said she took responsibility for problems as chief executive and was determined to see the situation resolved.

She spoke at a news conference Monday as protesters blocked morning trains and called for a citywide strike. More than 100 flights were canceled.

Lam said the latest protests had moved from extradition legislation, which her administration had shelved, and now were operating with “ulterior motives” targeting Hong Kong’s prosperity and security.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam says recent protests have pushed the city to the “verge of a very dangerous situation” but the government will be resolute in ensuring public order.

A tired looking Lam delivered the remarks at a news conference Monday morning that follows weeks of daily marches and demonstrations that have frequently devolved into violent confrontations, with police deploying tear gas rubber bullets and other crowd control measures.

Lam said the violence and disruptions were creating anxiety among citizens and now was the time to set aside differences and “rally together.”

Protesters were blocking trains during the morning rush hour and called for a citywide strike by workers. More than 100 flights were cancelled at the city’s airport, and Hong Kong media say that the airport express train service has been suspended.

Hong Kong’s leader will speak to the media as protesters block morning trains and call for a citywide strike by workers.

The office of Chief Executive Carrie Lam said she would hold a news conference at 10 a.m. Monday.

The strike has already taken hold at the airport, where 100 flights have been cancelled. Hong Kong media say that the airport express train service has been suspended.

Protesters used a now-familiar tactic of blocking train doors from closing to disrupt the morning commute.

The actions follow a weekend of clashes between protesters and police. The protesters are demanding the dissolution of the legislature, an investigation into police use of force at protests and full democracy for the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

Hong Kong media say more than 100 flights have been cancelled at the city’s airport as a general strike called to support pro-democracy protests gets underway.

Public broadcaster RTHK said Monday that domestic carriers such as Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Airlines were the most affected.

A citywide strike and demonstrations in seven districts in Hong Kong have been called for Monday afternoon. They follow a weekend of clashes with police on the streets.

Hong Kong has seen protests all summer. A movement against an extradition bill that would have allowed residents to be sent to mainland China to stand trial has expanded into demands for an investigation into alleged police abuse at protests and the dissolution of the legislature.

Protesters in Hong Kong have snarled the morning rush hour by blocking train and platform doors to prevent trains from leaving stations.

Subway and train operator MTR said Monday that service had been partially suspended on four lines because of a number of door obstruction incidents.

It’s the third time in three weeks that protesters have disrupted train service. The action followed a weekend of clashes with police on the streets and ahead of a general strike and more demonstrations called for Monday afternoon.

Hong Kong has seen protests all summer. A movement against an extradition bill that would have allowed residents to be sent to mainland China to stand trial has expanded into demands for an investigation into alleged police abuse at protests and the dissolution of the legislature. </s> HONG KONG (Reuters) - Police fired tear gas at protesters in multiple parts of Hong Kong on Monday after a general strike hit transport and the city’s Beijing-backed leader warned its prosperity was at risk.

The protests surpassed earlier shows of dissent in scale and intensity, seemingly stoked by Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam’s refusal once again to meet any of the protesters’ demands, while warning of an “extremely dangerous situation”.

What started several months ago as demonstrations over an extradition bill that would have let people be sent to mainland China for trial have grown into a much broader backlash against the city government and its political masters in Beijing.

The protests are the greatest political threat to the former British colony’s government since it returned to Chinese rule and one of the biggest popular challenges to Chinese leader Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012.

Amid extensive disruptions to trains and traffic, tens of thousands of demonstrators fanned out across Hong Kong, spreading pockets of activism to most of its main three regions: Hong Kong island, Kowloon and the New Territories.

In the evening, a group of men armed with sticks tried to attack the black-clad protesters in the North Point district.

Riot police used tear gas in districts including Wong Tai Sin, Tin Shui Wai, Tai Po, and Admiralty close to the city’s government headquarters.

Speaking to the media for the first time in two weeks, Lam remained defiant, rejecting calls to resign, condemning violence and saying the government would be resolute.

She warned that the protests were putting Hong Kong on a path of no return and had hurt its economy.

“They claim they want a revolution and to restore Hong Kong. These actions have far exceeded their original political demands,” said a stern-faced Lam, flanked by some, but not all senior members of her administration.

“These illegal acts that challenge our country’s sovereignty, and jeopardize ‘one country two systems’, will destroy the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong,” Lam said, referring to the territory’s administrative system since 1997, when it was handed back to China.

Demonstrators fear China is gradually encroaching on the island’s cherished autonomy.

China’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council said it would hold another news conference on Tuesday at 2.30 pm (0630 GMT), after one last Monday that announced no new major policy shifts by Beijing despite the upheavals.

“I don’t think the government is doing anything to heal society... They provide no solution,” said Jay Leung, 20, a university student who joined a protest, dismissing Lam’s words as a waste of time.

“I didn’t hear anything positive, she just made it worse,” added tourism worker Russell, 38.

Demonstrators blocked key roads, including three tunnels, cutting major arteries linking Hong Kong island and the Kowloon Peninsula. In Yuen Long district, a car rammed through a barricade, knocking down protesters.

Commuters struggled to get to work, with many rail and bus services suspended by activists who blocked trains from leaving stations, some by sitting in doorways.

Long lines of traffic snaked across Hong Kong island into the heart of the business center and hundreds of people were stranded at the airport, where more than 200 flights were canceled at one point.

“Losing a bit of money now is not such a problem, (compared) with losing everything that the freedom of Hong Kong used to stand for,” said Mark Schmidt, 49, a restaurant manager who closed on Monday.

In an upmarket shopping mall in Sha Tin, scores of shops were shuttered, including clothing retailer H&M as well as luxury brands Chanel and Dior. Protesters in the shopping center chanted: “Strike! Support to the end.”

Many stores in the bustling shopping district of Causeway Bay were closed for part of the day as well as businesses close to the protests.

Members of the Hong Kong Disneyland Cast Members Union went on strike, as did many lifeguards, forcing authorities to close some beaches and swimming pools.

Police, who some have accused of using excessive force, said the situation was spiraling out of control.

Authorities said 420 people have been arrested over the protests since June 9, while police have fired 1,000 rounds of tear gas and about 160 rubber bullets.

The protesters’ demands include a complete withdrawal of the extradition bill and an independent inquiry into government handling of the crisis.

With tourist numbers falling and hotel occupancy rates slumping, the protests are piling pressure on a struggling economy.

IHS Markit’s July Purchasing Managers’ Index for Hong Kong showed private sector business activity dropped to its lowest level in a decade, also weighed down by the Sino-U.S. trade war.

“I would not be surprised if we see a technical recession - two consecutive quarters of contraction,” said Raymond Yeung, chief China economist at ANZ.

The benchmark Hang Seng Index closed down 2.9 percent, falling to its lowest level since January. </s> The Latest: Lam says Hong Kong on verge of danger

HONG KONG (AP) — The Latest on the protests in Hong Kong (all times local):

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam says recent protests have pushed the city to the "verge of a very dangerous situation" but the government will be resolute in ensuring public order.

A tired looking Lam delivered the remarks at a news conference Monday morning that follows weeks of daily marches and demonstrations that have frequently devolved into violent confrontations, with police deploying tear gas rubber bullets and other crowd control measures.

Lam said the violence and disruptions were creating anxiety among citizens and now was the time to set aside differences and "rally together."

Protesters were blocking trains during the morning rush hour and called for a citywide strike by workers. More than 100 flights were cancelled at the city's airport, and Hong Kong media say that the airport express train service has been suspended.

Hong Kong's leader will speak to the media as protesters block morning trains and call for a citywide strike by workers.

The office of Chief Executive Carrie Lam said she would hold a news conference at 10 a.m. Monday.

The strike has already taken hold at the airport, where 100 flights have been cancelled. Hong Kong media say that the airport express train service has been suspended.

Protesters used a now-familiar tactic of blocking train doors from closing to disrupt the morning commute.

The actions follow a weekend of clashes between protesters and police. The protesters are demanding the dissolution of the legislature, an investigation into police use of force at protests and full democracy for the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

Hong Kong media say more than 100 flights have been cancelled at the city's airport as a general strike called to support pro-democracy protests gets underway.

Public broadcaster RTHK said Monday that domestic carriers such as Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Airlines were the most affected.

A citywide strike and demonstrations in seven districts in Hong Kong have been called for Monday afternoon. They follow a weekend of clashes with police on the streets.

Hong Kong has seen protests all summer. A movement against an extradition bill that would have allowed residents to be sent to mainland China to stand trial has expanded into demands for an investigation into alleged police abuse at protests and the dissolution of the legislature.

Protesters in Hong Kong have snarled the morning rush hour by blocking train and platform doors to prevent trains from leaving stations.

Subway and train operator MTR said Monday that service had been partially suspended on four lines because of a number of door obstruction incidents.

It's the third time in three weeks that protesters have disrupted train service. The action followed a weekend of clashes with police on the streets and ahead of a general strike and more demonstrations called for Monday afternoon.

Hong Kong has seen protests all summer. A movement against an extradition bill that would have allowed residents to be sent to mainland China to stand trial has expanded into demands for an investigation into alleged police abuse at protests and the dissolution of the legislature. </s> Commuters are reflected on a door panel of a subway train as they wait for the resumption of the services after being disrupted by protesters at Fortress Hill MTR station in Hong Kong, Monday, Aug. 5, 2019. Protesters snarled the morning rush hour by blocking train and platform doors to prevent trains from leaving stations. Subway and train operator MTR said Monday that service had been partially suspended on five lines because of a number of door obstruction incidents. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

HONG KONG (AP) — The Latest on the protests in Hong Kong (all times local):

An official says Hong Kong’s police are fully supported by the government and there is no need to deploy China’s military to cope with increasingly violent anti-government protests.

Senior Superintendent Kong Wing-cheung of the Police Public Relations Branch said Chief Executive Carrie Lam and other Hong Kong officials have stated the same on multiple occasions.

Kong told reporters at a daily briefing Monday that he personally believes there is no chance of a deployment of the People’s Liberation Army.

Speculation of an intervention by China’s military has been fueled in part by a slick publicity video it released last week showing troops firing tear gas and dealing with a mock street demonstration.

Kong said he doesn’t feel the police are being made scapegoats over the violence and are fulfilling their mandate to protect the community and maintain law and order.

Weeks of protests have demanded the dissolution of the legislature, an investigation into police use of force against protesters and full democracy for the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

Hong Kong police have arrested 420 protesters since June 9 on charges including rioting, unlawful assembly, possessing offensive weapons and assaulting officers and obstructing police operations.

Police spokeswoman Yolanda Yu Hoi-kwan told reporters Monday that police have fired more than 300 non-lethal bullets and around 1,000 tear gas grenades.

Yu said 139 officers had been injured in clashes, with two still hospitalized with fractures.

She said violence has been escalating, with protesters using gasoline bombs and fire, including sending a trolley full of burning trash hurtling toward officers.

Protesters are demanding the dissolution of the legislature, an investigation into police use of force at protests and full democracy for the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

Police have fired tear gas at a second location in Hong Kong as they face off with protesters at multiple locations in the city.

Protesters took over a major road outside the main government office on Monday, threw eggs and bricks at the building and punctured large water-filled barriers set up by police to keep them away.

Police responded with tear gas, but the protesters did not immediately disperse.

Earlier, police used tear gas on protesters in the Wong Tai Sin district.

The actions follow a weekend of clashes between protesters and police. The protesters are demanding the dissolution of the legislature, an investigation into police use of force at protests and full democracy for the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

Droves of protesters have filled public parks and squares in several Hong Kong districts to take part in a general strike.

Following a weekend of protests, demonstrators disrupted subways, air traffic and weekday activities Monday in an effort to bring more attention to their demands.

Hong Kong has seen pro-democracy protests for about two months.

Police in at least one district have used tear gas to disperse crowds.

Protesters dressed in black sat in the shade of office buildings in the city’s business district with open umbrellas and posters condemning the police as “gangsters.”

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam says she has no plans to resign over the civil unrest targeting her administration.

Lam said she took responsibility for problems as chief executive and was determined to see the situation resolved.

She spoke at a news conference Monday as protesters blocked morning trains and called for a citywide strike. More than 100 flights were canceled.

Lam said the latest protests had moved from extradition legislation, which her administration had shelved, and now were operating with “ulterior motives” targeting Hong Kong’s prosperity and security.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam says recent protests have pushed the city to the “verge of a very dangerous situation” but the government will be resolute in ensuring public order.

A tired looking Lam delivered the remarks at a news conference Monday morning that follows weeks of daily marches and demonstrations that have frequently devolved into violent confrontations, with police deploying tear gas rubber bullets and other crowd control measures.

Lam said the violence and disruptions were creating anxiety among citizens and now was the time to set aside differences and “rally together.”

Protesters were blocking trains during the morning rush hour and called for a citywide strike by workers. More than 100 flights were cancelled at the city’s airport, and Hong Kong media say that the airport express train service has been suspended.

Hong Kong’s leader will speak to the media as protesters block morning trains and call for a citywide strike by workers.

The office of Chief Executive Carrie Lam said she would hold a news conference at 10 a.m. Monday.

The strike has already taken hold at the airport, where 100 flights have been cancelled. Hong Kong media say that the airport express train service has been suspended.

Protesters used a now-familiar tactic of blocking train doors from closing to disrupt the morning commute.

The actions follow a weekend of clashes between protesters and police. The protesters are demanding the dissolution of the legislature, an investigation into police use of force at protests and full democracy for the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

Hong Kong media say more than 100 flights have been cancelled at the city’s airport as a general strike called to support pro-democracy protests gets underway.

Public broadcaster RTHK said Monday that domestic carriers such as Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Airlines were the most affected.

A citywide strike and demonstrations in seven districts in Hong Kong have been called for Monday afternoon. They follow a weekend of clashes with police on the streets.

Hong Kong has seen protests all summer. A movement against an extradition bill that would have allowed residents to be sent to mainland China to stand trial has expanded into demands for an investigation into alleged police abuse at protests and the dissolution of the legislature.

Protesters in Hong Kong have snarled the morning rush hour by blocking train and platform doors to prevent trains from leaving stations.

Subway and train operator MTR said Monday that service had been partially suspended on four lines because of a number of door obstruction incidents.

It’s the third time in three weeks that protesters have disrupted train service. The action followed a weekend of clashes with police on the streets and ahead of a general strike and more demonstrations called for Monday afternoon.

Hong Kong has seen protests all summer. A movement against an extradition bill that would have allowed residents to be sent to mainland China to stand trial has expanded into demands for an investigation into alleged police abuse at protests and the dissolution of the legislature. </s> At least 100 flights were cancelled and subway service widely disrupted in Hong Kong on Monday as a pro-democracy movement called for a general strike. Airport express train service was also suspended.

Cathay Pacific and other domestic carriers such as Hong Kong Airlines were the most affected by the flight cancellations, public broadcaster RTHK said.

A citywide strike and demonstrations in seven districts in Hong Kong have been called for Monday afternoon. They follow a weekend of clashes with police on the streets.

Hong Kong has seen protests all summer. A movement against an extradition bill that would have allowed residents to be sent to mainland China to stand trial has expanded into demands for an investigation into alleged police abuse at protests and the dissolution of the legislature. Protesters also want full democracy for the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

Protesters snarled the morning rush hour by blocking train and platform doors to prevent trains from leaving stations.

Subway and train operator MTR said Monday that service had been partially suspended on five lines because of a number of door obstruction incidents.

It's the third time in three weeks that protesters have disrupted train service.

Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam called a morning news conference ahead of what could be a chaotic day in her city. </s> Hong Kong's airport reopened on Tuesday but its administrator warned that flight movements would still be affected, after China said protests that have swept the city over the past two months had begun to show the "sprouts of terrorism".

Some flights resumed but many others were canceled. Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific said it had canceled more than 200 flights into and out of the airport on Tuesday, according to its website.

The airport, one of the world's busiest, blamed demonstrators for halting flights on Monday. The exact trigger for the closure was not clear because protesters occupying the arrivals hall since Friday have been peaceful.

The airport was the latest focus of protests that began two months ago. The sometimes violent protests began as opposition to a now-suspended bill that would have allowed extradition to mainland China but have grown into wider calls for democracy.

The protests have plunged the Chinese-ruled territory into its most serious crisis in decades, presenting Chinese leader Xi Jinping with one of his biggest challenges since he came to power in 2012.

Analysts said the disruptions and protests in Hong Kong were unsettling Asian stock markets, and the Hang Seng index opened 1.1% lower on Tuesday.

Embattled Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Tuesday the "lawbreaking activities in the name of freedom" were damaging the rule of law and that it could take a long time for the city to recover from the protests.

The protesters have been switching tactics in recent weeks and more than a dozen sit-ins were planned at hospitals in the city, according to social media posts on Tuesday.

Most of the protesters had left the airport shortly after midnight, with about 50 still there on Tuesday morning.

"Hong Kong International Airport will implement flight rescheduling today with flight movements expected to be affected," said a notice published on the Hong Kong International Airport's official mobile app on Tuesday.

Cathay Pacific said it would only operate a limited number of flights for connecting passengers. Airport flight boards showed the likes of Emirates Airline and Virgin Australia had flights scheduled to depart on Tuesday.

Critical juncture

China said on Monday protests in the Asian financial hub had reached a critical juncture.

"Protesters have been frequently using extremely dangerous tools to attack the police in recent days, constituting serious crimes with sprouts of terrorism emerging," said Hong Kong and Macau Affairs office spokesman Yang Guang in Beijing.

Some Hong Kong legal experts say the official description of terrorism could lead to the use of anti-terror laws.

Protesters in turn say police have used excessive force, firing tear gas and bean bag pellets at close range, and are calling for an independent inquiry into the crisis.

Demonstrators say they are fighting the erosion of the "one country, two systems" arrangement enshrining some autonomy for Hong Kong when China took it back from Britain in 1997.

Hong Kong's airport is the 8th busiest by passenger traffic, handling 73 million passengers a year.

Shares in Cathay, which fell to a 10-year-low on Monday, continued their slide on Tuesday and were down more than 4.5% in morning trading.

The company is caught in crosswinds between Beijing and pro-democracy groups in Hong Kong after the Chinese civil aviation regulator demanded it suspend personnel who engaged in or supported the protests from staffing flights into its airspace.

The closure of the Hong Kong airport added to that pressure. A Reuters reporter saw more than 100 travellers queuing up at Cathay's ticketing counter early on Tuesday.

"The way to handle last night was chaotic," said Kate Flannery from Australia, who was traveling to Paris. "The airport authority didn't deal with the situation. I felt like I was walking around and nobody gave us information."

A Cathay customer officer at the airport, who declined to provide his name, said nearly all the airline's flights were full.

"It is possible that the airport authority will cancel more flights as they need to control the air traffic movements at the Hong Kong International Airport," he said.

Get Breaking news, live coverage, and Latest News from India and around the world on NDTV.com. Catch all the Live TV action on NDTV 24x7 and NDTV India. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram for latest news and live news updates. </s> Protesters with makeshift shields pass through a subway station on their way to a police station in Hong Kong on Sunday, Aug. 4, 2019. Demonstrators in Hong Kong moved en masse to a luxury shopping district Sunday evening after riot police used tear gas to clear out an area they were previously occupying, as the 2-month-old protest movement showed no signs of easing. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

HONG KONG (AP) — At least 100 flights were cancelled and subway service widely disrupted in Hong Kong on Monday as a pro-democracy movement called for a general strike.

Cathay Pacific and other domestic carriers such as Hong Kong Airlines were the most affected by the flight cancellations, public broadcaster RTHK said. Airport express train service was also suspended.

A citywide strike and demonstrations in seven districts in Hong Kong have been called for Monday afternoon. They follow a weekend of clashes with police on the streets.

Hong Kong has seen protests all summer. A movement against an extradition bill that would have allowed residents to be sent to mainland China to stand trial has expanded into demands for an investigation into alleged police abuse at protests and the dissolution of the legislature. Protesters also want full democracy for the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

Protesters snarled the morning rush hour by blocking train and platform doors to prevent trains from leaving stations.

Subway and train operator MTR said Monday that service had been partially suspended on five lines because of a number of door obstruction incidents.

It’s the third time in three weeks that protesters have disrupted train service.

Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam called a morning news conference ahead of what could be a chaotic day in her city. </s> Chinese President Xi Jinping landed in Hong Kong yesterday to mark the 20th anniversary of Beijing taking control of the former British colony, accompanied by a formidable layer of security as authorities showed little patience for pro-democracy protests.

After stepping off his Air China plane, Xi said he envisioned “stable development” of Hong Kong’s “one country, two systems” framework. Pro-democracy activists fear Beijing is undermining the principle — agreed upon when Britain handed over the city back to China — which guarantees Hong Kong can mostly run its own affairs and keep civil liberties including free speech until 2047.

Xi’s three-day visit culminates tomorrow when he will oversee an inauguration ceremony for the Asian financial hub’s new leader, Carrie Lam.

Pro-democracy activists staged protests ahead of his visit and more were expected, including an annual march through the streets tomorrow that has drawn big crowds in the past. Hong Kong authorities were taking no chances with disruptions and deployed heavy security across the city.

Helicopters hovered overhead and police and barricades lined the streets around a downtown convention center and hotel complex where Xi was expected to spend most of his time. Officers questioned passers-by taking photos of the few protests allowed near the area. Authorities even glued the gaps between sidewalk paving stones in an effort to prevent them from being torn up and thrown by protesters.

Three pro-democracy groups said 26 of their members were arrested Wednesday evening on public nuisance charges for staging a sit-in at a giant flower sculpture near the complex. They were still detained hours after Xi arrived. Police have the power to hold them up to 48 hours.

Those arrested included Joshua Wong, the young activist who helped lead 2014’s “Umbrella Movement” protests, and Nathan Law, another student protest leader who was elected to the legislature last year.

Xi is visiting to mark the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong’s

 handover, when Britain ceded control of its colony to China at the stroke of midnight on June 30, 1997.

“It’s been nine years since I last set foot in this place. I’m thrilled,” Xi said on the airport tarmac. “Hong Kong has been tugging away at my heart,” he said, adding that the anniversary of Hong Kong’s “return to the motherland” on Saturday is “a big deal, a joyous occasion for the country and for Hong Kong.”

He said one of the purposes of his trip is to plan for Hong Kong’s future.

“We would like to look back at Hong Kong’s extraordinary journey over the past 20 years, to learn from our experience, and look forward to the future to ensure the stable development of ‘one country, two systems,’” he said in brief remarks before speeding off in a motorcade without answering questions.

Hong Kongers have grown concerned Beijing is backtracking on “one country, two systems” following a string of recent incidents, most notably the secret detention of five Hong Kong booksellers on the mainland.

Xi later visited the site of an arts hub under construction in West Kowloon district and was due to attend a banquet with government officials.

On Friday, he’s expected to inspect Chinese troops at a People’s Liberation Army base. China’s only aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, will pay its first Hong Kong port call to mark the PLA’s 20 year-presence in the city, the Defense Ministry said.

The ship, commissioned in 2012, and its battle group departed northern China on a training mission earlier this week and will likely pass through the Taiwan Strait along its voyage to Hong Kong.

Speaking at a monthly news briefing, ministry spokesman Col. Wu Qian said the ship would take part in “celebratory activities,” but gave no details. Media reports said the ship would arrive in Hong Kong on July 7 for a two-day visit. AP

Hong Kong stocks jumped the most in more than a week, in a rally coinciding with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the former British colony to mark the 20th anniversary of the city’s handover to the mainland, Nikkei agency reported.

The Hang Seng Index rallied 1.1 percent. More than half the gauge’s 282-point gain yesterday was added by HSBC Holdings, a heavyweight British bank that climbed 6.3 percent, the most since the depths of the global financial crisis, to HKD72.80. The gains followed the Federal Reserve’s signal Wednesday that U.S. lenders were healthy enough to use extra capital on share buybacks and dividend payouts.

Adding to the cheer, Morgan Stanley raised its price target on the stock to HKD84 from HKD70 in a report released late Wednesday, saying it expects “the narrative on HSBC to flip from prior concerns on the dividend to a debate on how to deploy excess capital.” Hang Seng Bank, a Hang Seng Index constituent that is majority owned by HSBC, advanced 2.8 percent, while Standard Chartered, also a London-headquartered lender as HSBC, added 4.4 percent.

President Xi arrived yesterday for the first time since he assumed power amid a tight security blanket enveloping parts of the city.

Yesterday’s rally took the Hang Seng Index’s advance so far in 2017 to 18 percent, ranking it among Asia’s best-performing equity benchmarks. Still, valuations that are “not too stretched” offer a layer of comfort, according to Victor Au, chief operating officer at Delta Asia Securities.

According to Nikkei, the Hang Seng Index currently trades at 13.7 times its earnings, compared with 14.6 times for the Shanghai Composite Index and a multiple of 21.6 for the S&P 500 Index.

The Shanghai gauge, meanwhile, added 0.5 percent yesterday, taking its increase this year to 2.7 percent. Mainland shares have underperformed Hong Kong this year amid concern over curbs imposed by policy makers to contain financial- and property-sector risks.

However, the People’s Bank of China will hold off on further tightening of its monetary policies, and could even loosen them slightly in coming months to prevent growth from slowing too sharply, Reuters reported Wednesday, citing policy advisers at the central bank.

“I’m quite sure that after July, or in the middle of the third quarter, they’ll try to reengineer strong growth,” Delta Asia’s Au said, quoted by Nikkei. </s> Protesters with makeshift shields pass through a subway station on their way to a police station in Hong Kong on Sunday, Aug. 4, 2019. Demonstrators in Hong Kong moved en masse to a luxury shopping district Sunday evening after riot police used tear gas to clear out an area they were previously occupying, as the 2-month-old protest movement showed no signs of easing. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam maintained that she has no plans to resign in the face of a turbulent pro-democracy movement that held a general strike Monday, leading to more than 100 flight cancellations and major traffic disruptions.

The semi-autonomous Chinese city is on “the verge of a very dangerous situation,” said Lam, who said current protests were operating with “ulterior motives” that threaten Hong Kong’s prosperity and security.

“I don’t think at this point in time, resignation of myself or some of my colleagues would provide a better solution,” the chief executive said at a news conference.

Protesters snarled the morning rush hour by blocking train and platform doors, preventing subway and commuter rail trains from leaving their stations. After demonstrators in face masks refused to move from train entry points in several stations, and commuters found themselves stranded on crowded platforms and some required medical attention.

More than 100 flights have been cancelled out of Hong Kong after a large number of airport employees called in sick in apparent participation in the general strike, Hong Kong media reported. Public broadcaster RTHK said Cathay Pacific and other domestic carriers such as Hong Kong Airlines were the most affected. Airport express train service was also suspended.

“Too much. Why do they have to create trouble for people not involved in their cause?” said 52-year-old John Chan, whose flight to Singapore was cancelled. “Hong Kong is sinking. The government, police and protest people have to stop fighting and give us a break.”

The citywide strike and demonstrations in seven Hong Kong districts moved forward Monday following a weekend of clashes between protesters and riot police on the streets. They are part of a summer of fiery demonstrations that began in June against proposed extradition legislation that would have allowed residents to be sent to mainland China to stand trial.

While the government has since suspended the bill, protesters have pressed on with broader calls for democratic reforms and an investigation into alleged police brutality.

The Communist Party-led central government in Beijing has condemned what they call violent and radical protesters who have vandalized the Chinese national anthem and national flag on the sidelines of major rallies. China has accused unnamed “foreign forces” of inflaming the demonstrations out of a desire to contain the country’s development.

On Chinese state broadcaster CCTV’s daily noon news report, an anchor read aloud from a strongly-worded editorial titled “The Chaos in Hong Kong Must Not Continue.”

“We warn those maniacs and thugs who intend to continue to mess up Hong Kong by holding to a fantasy that you must pay a price for your savage revenge,” the editorial said. “So please become aware of your errors, turn back from your incorrect path and set down the butcher’s knives.”

A former British colony, Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997 under the framework of “one country, two systems,” which promised the city certain democratic freedoms not afforded to the mainland. But some Hong Kong residents feel that Beijing has been increasingly encroaching on their freedoms in recent years.

Claudia Mo, a pro-democracy lawmaker, said Beijing should consider engaging with protesters through Lam.

“We hope the learned people in Beijing would at least deliver some sincerity by suggesting via Carrie Lam, ‘Okay, you guys want democracy, perhaps we can talk,'” Mo said Monday. “We can talk — just three words. And maybe that can help appease the society.”

Bodeen reported from Beijing. Associated Press journalist Royston Chan in Hong Kong contributed to this report.
Hong Kong citizens call for a city-wide general strike with various sit-ins in seven districts. With thousands of workers announcing their participation, over 200 flights were cancelled, MTR lines halted and the Hang Seng Index dropped sharply. Chief Executive Carrie Lam blamed protesters for "destroying Hong Kong" and rejected their demands.