Beijing warned Hong Kong protesters today that those who play with fire will perish by it.
The strongest warning yet from Beijing came from a second rare briefing held at 3:00pm in the capital by the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of the State Council.
Spokesman Yang Guang said protesters must not underestimate “the immense strength of the central government.” Restraint should not be seen to be weakness, he said.
He said the People’s Liberation Army will defend every part of China’s territory.
Yang said anti-Chinese elements are the masteminds of the turmoil “behind-the-scenes.”
The warning comes after an unprecedented day of turmoil when anarchy reigned in many districts of Hong Kong starting with clashes Sunday night and mass train services disruption from early Monday.
Echoing Carrie Lam’s comments yesterday, Yang said radical protests “have severely impacted Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability, pushing it into a dangerous abyss.”
The briefing reiterated firm support for Hong Kong’s
police force and the Chief Executive Carrie Lam.
The police also revealed yesterday they had fired more than 1,000 rounds of tear gas since the clashes began on June 9.
In the first briefing from Beijing on July 29, the State Council underlined support for the Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngo