"Liberating" Hong Kong
"It's clear that Mr. Pompeo has put himself in the wrong position and still regards himself as the head of the CIA."
"He might think that violent activities in Hong Kong are reasonable because after all, this is the creation of the U.S."
"In the media footage of the violent protests, many U.S. faces appeared among the protesters, even U.S. national flags at one point."
"What role does the U.S. play exactly in the recent Hong Kong protests? The U.S. owes the world an explanation on this matter."
Hua Chunying, spokesperson, Chinese Foreign Ministry
"Every confrontation between the protesters and the police has exacerbated their mutual hostility."
"It is difficult that there are no solutions in sight, no reconciliation process going on and it has become a test of wills."
Hong Kong political commentator Joseph Cheng
"We don't know how long we are going to stay here, we don't have a leader, as you can see this is a mass movement now."
"It's not our intention to inconvenience people, but we have to make the authorities understand why we protest. We will continue with this as long as needed."
Sharon, 21, masked protester
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| Protesters hold up umbrellas and American flags in the face of advancing riot police in the district of Yuen Long on July 27 |
If discrediting the protesters by tying them directly to American instigation was the purpose, it was rather clumsy nonetheless to point a finger of blame at the influence of the United States in purportedly pulling puppet-strings resulting in months of increasingly vehement protests against the Chinese government's unwanted interference in Hong Kong's affairs, despite that it is a recognized part of China, handed back by Britain who had long administered it and gave the colony-island its democratic values.
Once again protesters blocked train services in the morning rush hour early Tuesday. Commuters were stuffed in stations across the city awaiting the opportunity board delayed trains, and no service to be had at all on some lines. Hong Kong, stated China's top government agency overseeing the city. needed to be prevented from becoming a "base to undermine China" as one of three "bottom lines". How Hua could identify "U.S. faces" in the crowds of protesters is unfathomable.
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| Pro-democracy protesters, including one carrying a shield from the "Captain America" comic book series stand their ground during protests in Hong Kong on October 4, 2014 |
But that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had taken the initiative to state his hopes that "the Chinese will do the right thing" in their management of the protests, certainly stung. Despite the resumption of trade talks between the U.S. and China, where both will continue to play hardball for advantage over the other, Hua cautioned Washington to remove its "black hand" from the protests. "Ridiculous", responded the State Department.
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| A man is taken away by policemen after attacked by protesters outside Kwai Chung police station in Hong Kong. Photograph: Vincent Yu/AP |
"Free the martyrs", demanded people surrounding a police station on Tuesday, referring to the 44 activists charged with rioting during weekend clashes between protesters and police, the firs time a rioting charge has been used for the protests. The extradition bill allowing people in Hong Kong to be sent to mainland China from the former British colony for trial was the initial cause of this latest protest. Demands have now expanded for the release of the prisoners, for the removal of of the city governor Carrie Lam, for China to pull back from striving to control Hong Kong.
Clashes between protesters and police at the Kwai Chung police station saw one officer pointing a gun directly at the crowd. A maximum 10-year jail term is imposed for rioting. The protesters chanted "Liberate Hong Kong". "Revolution of our time!" They will not stand back without an independent enquiry into the handling of the crisis, along with the unconditional release of those arrested for rioting.
In the past few weeks the level of action accompanying the protests has risen to include the mobbing of government buildings and the ransacking of the city's legislature.
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| A police officer points a gun during clashes with protesters outside a police station late on Tuesday. Photograph: Tyrone Siu/Reuters |
"It is a lot easier to tell the outside world [that the US is interfering] than it is to admit the Chinese might have some serious problems in their relationship with Hong Kong and with how the people of Hong Kong view the mainland. Chinese officials have been telling US officials that they know the US black hand is behind the protests."
"It's pretty typical of how the Chinese describe outside interference, but it's also convenient as it supports a narrative about the evil West trying to undermine China's national rejuvenation."
Bonnie Glaser, director, China Power Project, Center for Strategic and International Studies, CSIS
Labels: China, Crisis Management, Protests, Violence
posted by Pieface @ Thursday, August 01, 2019
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