Defense ministry 'keeping a close eye' on HK situation

A Chinese military spokesperson on Wednesday spelt out the defense ministry's reaction to the recent acts of violence in Hong Kong and how it will handle the ongoing situation, according to State Council Information Office's website.

At a press conference hosted by the office in Beijing as a white paper on China's national defense in the new era was released, a Now TV reporter from Hong Kong asked, “Many conflicts and demonstrations have taken place recently, how does the Chinese defense ministry judge the situation? Does the ministry think that some 'Hong Kong independence' activists have gained a foothold? How will the ministry handle it?”

Wu Qian, spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, said: “We are keeping a close eye on the current situation in Hong Kong, especially after the demonstrations and attacks that occurred on July 21 and radical protesters stormed the building of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR. The Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council has issued a clear response that the recent violent incidents are an open challenge to the central government’s authority and the bottom line of 'one country, two systems' principle, which is definitely intolerable.”

Wu added, "As for the specific questions, there are clear provisions in Article 14, Chapter 3 in the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Garrisoning the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region."

According to the article, the HKSAR government may, in case it is necessary, ask the central government for assistance from the People’s Liberation Army Garrison in Hong Kong in maintaining public order or for disaster relief. Where the request is approved, the garrison shall call out troops in accordance with the order of the Central Military Commission to carry out tasks of assistance in the maintenance of public order or in disaster relief, and upon completion of the tasks, the troops shall return to their barracks immediately. When the troops carry out such tasks, they shall be commanded by the commander of the garrison or the officer authorized by him under the arrangement of the HKSAR government, and exercise the powers conferred by the laws of the HKSAR.