A wave of protests swept Hong Kong in the spring of 2019, but the escalation began in July and August when peaceful demonstrations took radical action: in seven districts of Hong Kong, including the Central and New Territories, attacks were carried out on the building of the Representative Office of the central government of the PRC, hostages were taken, strikes in the airport and at public transport points, clashes with the police on the streets and in shopping malls with violence.
The number of participants in separate demonstrations reached 2 million, with a population of Hong Kong of 7.5 million people.
The reason for the protests was the opposition to the extradition bill, which potentially puts the residents of the administrative region under the jurisdiction of mainland China, undermining the autonomy of the region and the rights of citizens. The introduction of universal suffrage, the creation of a commission to investigate the legitimacy of police actions, and the release of arrested protesters without charge were also added to the protesters’ list of demands.
The color revolution, aimed at overthrowing the current regime of power, meets several US interests at once, offering the opposition various forms of assistance and support: China’s refusal to govern Hong Kong and the return of the administrative region within the Western world’s influence, the introduction of democratic principles, and Hong Kong’s loss of international financial status center, that will inevitably strengthen the economic and political burden of China, which will “play into the hands” of its main Western opponent.
That is why China urges the United States to cease all forms of interference in Hong Kong and stop offering democracy as a solution to domestic problems. The US Department of State reiterated earlier that Hong Kong’s autonomy, its commitment to the rule of law and the protection of civil liberties are “the key to maintaining its special status,” as well as to the success of the “one country, two systems” model and Hong Kong’s future stability and prosperity.
“The Hong Kong issue is entirely an internal affair of China, not a single foreign government, organization or individual has the right to intervene in this. We urge the United States and the United Kingdom respects the sovereignty of China, speaks and acts cautiously with regard to Hong Kong and cease all forms of interference in Hong Kong’s affairs and China’s internal affairs”, – Geng Shuang, spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at a briefing.