Hong Kong protests have ‘obvious characteristics of colour revolution’, top Beijing official warns amid ‘worst crisis since 1997 handover’
- HKMAO chief Zhang Xiaoming says ending disturbance is top priority, but rejects protesters’ demands and warns Beijing won’t sit idly by if situation worsens
- Zhang referenced the ‘colour revolution’ that caused civil unrest in early 2000s Eastern Europe, and said China has option to deploy military
Beijing’s top official overseeing Hong Kong affairs has denounced the anti-government protests sweeping the city as bearing the “obvious characteristics of a colour revolution” – referring to Eastern European uprisings in the early 2000s – and warned that the worst crisis since the handover to Chinese sovereignty could not be resolved by bowing to protesters’ demands.
Zhang Xiaoming, director of the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO), put the emphasis on ending the protest chaos and violence that began two months ago, triggered by the government’s now-abandoned extradition bill.
He also left open the possibility of the Hong Kong government setting up a commission of inquiry into the entire extradition bill saga, in response to citywide calls, but only after the protests ended.
“The most pressing and overriding task at present is to stop violence, end the chaos and restore order, so as to safeguard our homeland and prevent Hong Kong from sinking into an abyss,” Zhang said.
Laying out these priorities before 500 of Hong Kong’s top business leaders and pro-Beijing politicians at a seminar in neighbouring Shenzhen on Wednesday, he called on allies of Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s embattled government to do their part in safeguarding Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability.
Speaking at the same event, Wang Zhimin, director of Beijing’s liaison office, warned that the crisis gripping Hong Kong was a “battle of life and death”, with the city’s future at stake.
While Beijing officials rallied pro-establishment forces at the day-long seminar, Hong Kong’s leader continued to avoid open public engagements, but quietly made a morale-boosting visit to the Tin Shui Wai Police Station, where tear gas was used to disperse protesters who attacked it on Monday.
They use freedom and democracy as slogans but are in fact hurting Hong Kong
Lam also, unannounced, visited the site of a new public shopping space in the district and reviewed improvements works at Tai Wai Market.
During her first community excursion since the protests began in early June, she promised to come up with measures to improve livelihood in her policy address in October.
At the seminar in Shenzhen, Zhang again declared Beijing’s full support for Hong Kong’s leader and police force, stressing that backing them was key to restoring order.
“The central government is 100 per cent supportive of Lam’s leadership,” he said.
Zhang warned that if the protest crisis escalated beyond the local government’s control, Beijing would not sit by and watch. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) could be deployed to restore law and order, while national laws could also apply in a state of emergency.
“According to the Basic Law, the central authorities have ample methods as well as sufficient strength to promptly settle any possible turmoil, should it occur,” he said.
Former Hong Kong justice minister Elsie Leung Oi-sie, who attended the gathering, said Zhang was making it clear that the central government had the right to step in if necessary.
“Beijing will not ignore Hong Kong when it is in chaos,” she said.
Protesters shine light on Hong Kong student’s arrest with laser rally
Leung quoted Zhang as praising Deng Xiaoping as insightful, as the late paramount leader said in the 1980s that Beijing would intervene if disturbance occurred in the city.
The seminar in Shenzhen was the first of its kind since the HKMAO and Beijing’s liaison office in Hong Kong organised a similar event in August 2014, a month before the Occupy protests began and protesters occupied roads for 79 straight days demanding greater democracy.
“We can say Hong Kong is facing the most serious situation since the [1997] handover,” said Zhang, in his opening remarks over the first five minutes of the seminar during which the media were allowed in.
Ip Kwok-him, a Hong Kong delegate to the National People’s Congress, quoted Zhang as warning that the city would suffer greatly if the protests dragged on, and they should not be allowed to disrupt celebrations to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China in October.
Hong Kong extradition law protests: is this a colour revolution?
“I believe he was expressing hope that the chaos in Hong Kong would be over by September, but of course, the sooner the better,” Ip said.
Zhang described the protests as having “obvious characteristics of a colour revolution,” a reference to civil unrest in countries in the former Soviet Union and Balkans in the early 2000s.
New People’s Party chairwoman Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee cited Zhang as suggesting that such characteristics included the prominent role of youngsters, and the involvement of religious groups.
“They use freedom and democracy as slogans but are in fact hurting Hong Kong,” she said.
Another attendee said Zhang had noted how colour revolutions had destroyed police morale and allowed protesters to take over.
“Police have sweated and bled, we cannot let them cry,” Zhang was quoted as saying.
Protesters have made five demands which the government has resisted so far: completely withdraw the bill that would allow extraditions to mainland China; launch an independent inquiry to look into the entire controversy and allegations of police brutality in particular; exonerate those arrested; retract all references to protests as “riots”; and launch the city’s stalled political reform process.
Delegates who attended the meeting said Zhang dismissed all the demands, but left open the possibility of setting up a commission of inquiry after order was restored.
