Exclusive | US state department worried by Beijing’s hints it could use troops to put down Hong Kong protests
- ‘We urge Beijing to adhere to its commitments in the Sino-British Joint Declaration and Basic Law to allow Hong Kong to exercise a high degree of autonomy’
- State Department ‘categorically rejects’ charge from Beijing that US government has acted as a ‘black hand’ in ongoing unrest
The United States government has expressed concern about recent statements by a senior Chinese military official suggesting that mainland forces could be deployed in Hong Kong to quell dissent on the city’s streets.
“We note with concern the Chinese government’s statements,” a state department spokeswoman told the South China Morning Post on Thursday.
“We urge Beijing to adhere to its commitments in the Sino-British Joint Declaration and Basic Law to allow Hong Kong to exercise a high degree of autonomy,” she said, referring to the binding documents that stipulate the city’s administrative autonomy under the “one country, two systems” framework.
The comments came a day after Chinese defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian said that protesters’ recent actions were challenging Beijing’s baseline and made clear that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was legally permitted to maintain law and order under the city’s Garrison Law.
“Some behaviour of the radical protesters is challenging the authority of the central government and the bottom line of one country, two systems,” said Wu, who singled out protesters’ recent vandalism of Beijing’s liaison office in Hong Kong.