Hong Kong protesters warned not to try Beijing’s patience as Chinese state media denounces rally at US consulate
- Latest commentaries follow Sunday’s demonstration urging US Congress to pass Hong Kong human rights bill
- Editorial in China Daily says Beijing will act if things get out of control, while tabloid Global Times warns against ‘fit of hysteria’
Chinese state media warned Hong Kong protesters not to test the patience of the central government and said Beijing would act against subversion after a rally calling for the US Congress to back a bill to help protect the city’s human rights.
The commentaries on Monday came a day after thousands of protesters joined a peaceful march to the US consulate in Hong Kong, urging American officials and politicians to support their cause by taking diplomatic action against the city’s government.
A opinion piece by the Global Times, a nationalistic tabloid, said some extreme demonstrators were undergoing a “fit of hysteria, announcing that should their demands not be met, they would rather destroy everything”.
“If the US passes the bill to interfere in Hong Kong’s internal affairs, it would not be for the sake of the city, but rather to turn the financial hub into a card Washington can use to increase pressure on Beijing. The US will only decide its policy toward Hong Kong based on American interests,” the article said.
It argued that passing the bill would be a “deep intervention” in Hong Kong affairs, and warned it would not influence Beijing’s handling of Hong Kong’s affairs.