On May 6, the Chinese government agency in Hong Kong and Macau (HKMAO) issued a stern warning about the resumption of anti-government protests after the end of the coronavirus epidemic. Hong Kong will not rest until it removes the forces of "black violence," he said.
In a communique published on the HKMAO website, the protests were described as a "political virus", the "most poisonous and destructive" force in the region and a serious enemy of the "one country, two systems" principle. The demonstrators were accused of separatism and attempts to undermine Beijing's sovereignty.
"We have noticed that the forces of black violence are seeing the waning epidemic in Hong Kong and are preparing for action. The goals and motives of these forces and their behind-the-scenes commanders, organizers and instigators are clear: they want to push Hong Kong into the abyss, regardless of its destructive power," the website wrote.
The Hong Kong and Macao Bureau is the highest government agency responsible for the administration of these two former European colonies, now special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China.
In 2019, Hong Kong was rocked by months of protests that regularly turned into violent clashes with police. Radical demonstrators dressed in black set fire to barricades and threw molotov cocktails, while police used tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets and batons.
The protests began by opposing a plan to allow the extradition of suspects to mainland China, but soon turned into a broader movement for democracy and against restrictions on Hong Kong's autonomy and the freedoms of its people. Beijing denies allegations of interference in the region's internal affairs and blames "foreign forces", including the United States and Britain, for the escalation in Hong Kong.
In April, Hong Kong police units chased away a demonstration involving about 300 pro-democracy activists. It was the first major protest since the regional authorities banned public gatherings at the end of March to stop the coronavirus epidemic.
Tensions escalated in April after the arrest of 15 influential pro-democracy activists, including former members of parliament and veterans of the Hong Kong democracy movement, Martin Lee and Lee Cheukyan. Critics have accused the authorities in Beijing of using the epidemic crisis to strengthen control over Hong Kong.
The former British colony was transferred to China in 1997 and has since been governed theoretically on the principle of "one country, two systems," which gives it extensive autonomy in China. According to Hong Kong Democrats and many international observers, Beijing is gradually limiting this autonomy.
In the 1984 Sino-British joint Declaration, Beijing pledged to preserve the region's diversity, lifestyle, and civil liberties until at least 2047. However, the Chinese authorities claim that this document is no longer binding. 1xbet รหัสโปรโมชั่น
