United States President Donald Trump said the trade deal he struck with China on Friday was “very positive” for Hong Kong and claimed the city’s anti-government protests had de-escalated significantly, leaving some demonstrators disappointed he did not push for their cause. Not long after Trump made the comments in the Oval Office after a meeting with Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He , he sparked a spirited debate in the protesters’ social media platform LIHKG, as they asked one another whether he was helping or hindering their mission. Several questioned if they should still work hard to win the support of the US while others said they should just forge their own way forward. “Trump thinks we should pack it in. We still want to count on the Americans?” a user wrote, winning more than 1,000 likes in three hours. Another user said: “I have said western countries would only view Hong Kong as their pawn. Don’t be so naive that they value the so-called ‘values of democracy and freedoms’.” The comment won more than 160 likes in three hours. While some urged others to be “awake” and just count on themselves and Hongkongers, several others suggested the “escalation of force”. Yet another group of users believed they should work harder to explain to the world the reasons behind the drop in participants and organise another massive peaceful rally. Trump to raise Hong Kong extradition protests with Xi Jinping at G20 On Friday, Washington and Beijing reached what Trump described as a “substantial phase one deal” to delay the imposition of more US tariffs on Chinese imports. Trump touted a deal that included intellectual property protections and purchases of US agricultural products worth as much as US$50 billion after US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and US trade representative Robert Lighthizer met Liu He for two days in Washington. Speaking at the Oval Office after a meeting with Liu, Trump was asked if Hong Kong featured in their talks. “We discussed [about] Hong Kong, and I think great progress has been made by China in Hong Kong,” Trump replied. “I’ve been watching, and I actually told the vice-premier it really has toned down a lot from the initial days of a number of months ago when I saw a lot of people, and I see far fewer now,” he added. The situation was “going to take care of itself”, he said. “I actually think this deal is a great deal for the people of Hong Kong to see what happened. I think this is a very positive thing for Hong Kong. But ... it really has de-escalated a lot from the beginning, and we were discussing that.” The comment on de-escalation touched a raw nerve among protesters, as they debated their next course of action. “We need a massive march. Peaceful protesters have to come out even under legal risks!” a user wrote. Some believed they had to strengthen promotion campaigns overseas to explain the police abuse of power and how the ban on protests had affected turnouts over the past weeks. In his remarks, Trump did not make any mention of a US bill now in Congress that could strip Hong Kong of its special trading status by subjecting the city to an annual review of democratic freedoms. Protesters have been lobbying the US Congress to pass the bipartisan Human Rights and Democracy Act, arguing this would hold China accountable to its promises to ensure Hong Kong’s freedoms when the city was returned to Chinese sovereignty in 1997. Trump: ‘bad’ developments in Hong Kong could affect trade negotiations On Trump’s remarks that the deal was “very positive” for Hong Kong, Lau Siu-kai, vice-president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau studies, said he believed the US president was referring to the economic side. “As there will be no further sanction on China following a deal, Hong Kong’s economy will benefit,” Lau said. Regarding Trump’s note that protests have de-escalated, Lau said that was his own observation and if any US forces were behind the Hong Kong unrest, as suggested by Beijing’s foreign ministry, it did not mean that these entities would also de-escalate. “Different parties have their own agendas. They are not fully under Trump’s control,” Lau said. Shi Yinhong, a professor of international relations at Renmin University, said Hong Kong was a trivial issue in the US-China trade talks. “Even if the Hong Kong issue was mentioned, there won’t be any outcome.” Economist Andy Kwan Cheuk-chiu, director of ACE Centre for Business and Economic Research, said when the Chinese economy improved following the implementation of the new trade deal, it would boost Hong Kong’s economy as well. “The main driving force of Hong Kong’s economy is from the mainland. When a phase of the trade deal is completed, Hong Kong will benefit from it,” he said. Pan-democratic lawmaker Claudia Mo Man-ching said it was all diplomatic talk from the US leader. “Trump played it safe. For sure he will not openly criticise Beijing on this matter.” She said the pro-democracy camp was focused on the Human Rights and Democracy Act and not the trade deal. Civic Party leader Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu added: “It is a fact that Hong Kong has gained wide attention in the international community. I believe Hongkongers would continue to work hard and tell the world what’s going on here.” Felix Chung Kwok-pan, legislator for textiles and garment, said he believed the positive deal would mean no more additional tariffs, which would benefit Hong Kong’s businesses that export to the US. Separately, late on Friday night in Hong Kong, protesters formed a 2km human chain to protest against police’s use of force as the city braced for its 19th straight weekend of demonstrations. Earlier on Friday, protesters had staged a lunchtime march to condemn what was perceived as police brutality and the case of a university student who claimed she was sexually assaulted by officers . The force has already agreed to investigate the case. Hundreds had also gathered to mourn the death of a 15-year-old girl whose body was found in the sea last month. The case only came to light on Friday. Dismissing rumours she could have been killed by police, the force said there was nothing suspicious about her death. Additional reporting by Wendy Wu and Kanis Leung