BEIJING: China on Tuesday stepped up its attack on the US over the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, alleging America’s hand behind the mass demonstrations in the financial hub.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying also questioned US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s recent remarks that China should “do the right thing” in dealing with protests in Hong Kong and said the top American diplomat still believes he is the CIA chief.
Hong Kong has been witnessing a violent mass outrage with thousands taking to streets against the government’s plan to allow extraditions to the Communist nation.
Weighing its options including deployment of troops to deal with growing pro-democracy protests in the former British colony, China has been accusing Western countries and politicians of stirring unrest in the financial hub in hopes of creating difficulties for China’s overall development.
“I wonder does he hoped that those violent protesters who are attacking the police with iron batons can go to the US and show how democratic the US is,” Hua said, referring to Pompeo’s comments.
“I believe Pompeo is not putting himself in a right position. I am afraid he still believes he is the CIA chief. He thinks the violent behaviours in Hong Kong are reasonable because the US also contributed to that,” she said.
Pompeo was the former director of the CIA before his appointment as Secretary of State.
“There have been many American faces in the protests in Hong Kong, and even some American flags,” Hua added.
Hua’s allegation of the US’ hand in the protests came even as top US and Chinese trade officials met in Shanghai for the 12th round of talks to end the trade war between the two countries under which they slapped tariffs on billions of dollars’ worth of goods being traded between the two countries.
Giving a “recap” of the recent event in Hong Kong, Hua said, “at the end of the February and beginning of March the US Consul General in Hong Kong criticised the amendment (for the extradition bill) and interfered in internal affairs.”
In March, US Vice President Mike Pence met Hong Kong opposition leaders followed by Pompeo in May, she said.
In June, Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the US House of Representatives, said, “what happened in Hong Kong is a beautiful sight”, according to Hua.
“As we can see from the video clips there are some American faces among the protestors in Hong Kong, there are even American flags. I want to ask what kind of role the US has played in what happened in Hong Kong recently and I think the US owes an explanation to the whole world,” she said.
“I hope that US will realise that Hong Kong is China’s and the Chinese government will never allow any foreign forces to interfere in Hong Kong affairs or to mess up with Hong Kong,” she said.
She reiterated the central government’s support to the Hong Kong administration and the city’s police in governing the special administrative region according to rule of law and “support police in punishing those violent criminals.”
“I shall say those who play with fire will burn themselves at the end. There are many such lessons in the history. We hope they will stop pulling the chestnut from fire. This is a dangerous game,” she said.
About criticism in Taiwan that China is imposing one country system in Hong Kong, she said, “I shall say I have one line for these people. Only by implanting the one country two systems principle can Taiwan have a bright future.”
China took over Hong Kong from Britain in 1997 with a commitment to rule the province with one country two systems policy preserving Hong Kong’s political and judicial structures. PTI
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