China says Western politicians stirring Hong Kong troubles

Published July 29, 2019
Yang Guang of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of the State Council speaks during a news conference in Beijing, China on July 29. — Reuters
Yang Guang of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of the State Council speaks during a news conference in Beijing, China on July 29. — Reuters

A Chinese official said on Monday that some Western politicians are stirring unrest in Hong Kong in hopes of creating difficulties that will impede China's overall development.

Yang Guang, spokesman for the Cabinet's Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, said such attempts will come to nothing because Beijing will tolerate no outside interference in the affairs of the former British colony, which has been wracked by nearly two months of pro-democracy protests.

Yang said at a news conference that some people in the West applied “strange logic” that prompted them to be sympathetic and tolerant to “violent crimes” while criticising the police force's “due diligence".

"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,” Yang said, without mentioning any specific individuals or countries behind the "irresponsible remarks".

The protests in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory began in early June as a call to withdraw an extradition bill that would have allowed people in Hong Kong to be sent to mainland China to stand trial.

Since the government indefinitely suspended the legislation, demonstrators have broadened their scope to demand greater 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.

Opinion

Editorial

Brewing catastrophe
Updated 19 Jun, 2025

Brewing catastrophe

If Mr Trump makes the mistake of plunging into the fight on Israel’s behalf, the world will enter very dangerous territory.
Pension bill
19 Jun, 2025

Pension bill

IT is, indeed, a worrying conundrum. The federal government’s annual pension burden now exceeds its fiscal space...
Abandoned Karachi
19 Jun, 2025

Abandoned Karachi

THE explosive mix of decay, institutional apathy and corruption has, once again, placed Karachi among the bottom ...
Spread of hate
Updated 18 Jun, 2025

Spread of hate

HATE speech is not confined to words; in fact, there is a causal link between hateful rhetoric and real-world...
Big challenges
18 Jun, 2025

Big challenges

BALOCHISTAN’S Rs1.028tr budget, featuring a public development investment of Rs245bn and provincial surplus of...
Rampant disinformation
Updated 18 Jun, 2025

Rampant disinformation

WITH the arrival and proliferation of digital media, the creation of information is now a decentralised function,...