Hong Kong officials bid to ease tensions in city as students and activist groups vow to escalate action with another protest if demands are not met
- Beijing accuses unnamed forces of seeking to undermine stability in city while US President Donald Trump says ‘very effective’ protest is China’s affair
- Second sensitive piece of legislation delayed while police and security chiefs call on public not to vent frustrations at city’s beleaguered officers
Top government officials and advisers on Wednesday were going all out to ease lingering tensions over Hong Kong’s now-suspended extradition bill, even as students, activist groups and opposition politicians threatened to stage another major protest on Friday if their demands were not met.
On the diplomatic front in Beijing, State Councillor Wang Yi accused unnamed forces of seeking to undermine stability in Hong Kong by opposing the bill, which he said was fully in line with the interests of the city but probably needed further discussion.
“This is the right attitude,” Lu said.
I’m going to let China and the protesters work out their own problem
Trump had earlier said in Washington: “I’m going to let the protesters speak for themselves. I have our own argument with China, and I think it’s going to work out successfully, but I’m going to let China and the protesters work out their own problem. It looks like it’s going to be worked out.”
