BEIJING, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- It is because of the indulgence and support by some U.S. politicians that the anti-China disruptors in Hong Kong are so reckless and unscrupulous, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Wednesday, demanding them stop condoning violent criminal offenses and stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs immediately.
Some U.S. lawmakers submitted a bill to the Congress on Tuesday, calling for a suspension of sales of law enforcement equipment by U.S. companies to Hong Kong because they claimed that the police in Hong Kong have been widely criticized for what they did to the protesters. The law enforcement equipment includes tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets.
In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said: "I wonder if the U.S. Congressmen want to save these anti-riot equipment to deal with problems at home?"
Speaking at a daily news briefing, Hua said that with regard to what happened in Hong Kong recently, the facts are clear.
More and more mainstream international media have reported the true situation in Hong Kong with on-site coverage. "For example, I just saw many high-resolution photos released by some Russian media, depicting demonstrators' weapons like umbrellas with knives and barbs hidden inside and gasoline bombs," she said.
The reports said that some were carrying out terrorist and criminal activities under the cover of freedom and democracy, and the root cause of Hong Kong's violence and chaos lies with the malicious forces behind the scene. The so-called press freedom in Hong Kong is nearing absurdity, according to the reports.
"I would like to ask those U.S. lawmakers, when the violent extremists in Hong Kong brutally assaulted and injured the police and brought public facilities like the airport and subway to a standstill, where is the rule of law that you claim to advocate? When personal information of more than 1,000 police officers and their families were illegally exposed and they were targeted by crazy cyber bullying and threats, where are the human rights that you claim to champion? When people holding different views were chased, surrounded and beaten by black-clad demonstrators wearing masks, where is the freedom you claim to stand for?" she said.
Hua pointed out that some U.S. lawmakers are beautifying the violent criminal offenses as fight for human rights and freedom. At the same time, they are defaming Hong Kong police by calling their forbearance and restraint "overuse of force."
"There is no worse insult to freedom, democracy and human rights than this. It is open disregard for the mainstream public opinion of ending violence and chaos and restoring order, and it exposes their stark hypocrisy and double standard," she said.
"How did the U.S. police handle demonstrations? I believe many have vivid memories of the 2011 Occupy Wall Street movement, the 2015 unrest in Baltimore, Maryland, as well as the recent demonstrations in Portland, Oregon. If the scenes in Hong Kong were to appear in the U.S., would the U.S. lawmakers still be so 'kind'? We are curious to see," she said.
"It is because of the indulgence and support by some U.S. politicians that the anti-China disruptors in Hong Kong are so reckless and unscrupulous," Hua said.
She said that at a recent press conference on the situation in Hong Kong, Spokesperson Yang Guang of the State Council Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office quoted Man Jiang Hong (a classical Chinese poem) composed by Chairman Mao Zedong in 1963.
"Today I would like to add the following two lines: The ants climbing up a locust tree congratulate themselves for running a great empire, but it won't be easy for them to shake the tree," Hua said.
"I will reiterate that Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs. No foreign government, organization or individual has any right to interfere. Those playing with fire on this issue will end up getting burned themselves," she said.
"We advise certain people in the U.S. to stop pretending to be asleep, stop condoning violent criminal offenses, and stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs immediately," she added.
