Commissioner's office of Chinese foreign ministry in HKSAR questions foreign politicians' double standard in Hong Kong riot

HONG KONG - The Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Wednesday questioned why some British and US politicians turned a blind eye to the rioters' violence in Hong Kong but not so when tackling the similar situations in their own countries.

A principal official of the commissioner office decried the "outright double standard" of the politicians who allow rioters' lethal attacks on the police in Hong Kong, but not self-defence efforts of the latter.

Renewed violence gripped Hong Kong on Tuesday as black-clad rioters set fire, smashed shops, hurled petrol bombs, and assaulted the police and citizens.

The day also saw a police officer shooting and injuring a rioter who was among a mob attacking him and his colleagues. The principal official said it was for saving the lives of his colleagues and himself that the police officer was forced to open fire.

The principal official said should the rioters be allowed to run amok, Hong Kong citizens would be left with no security, the rule of law be demolished, and interests of countries here gravely damaged.

"It is the black-clad rioters and the ringleaders behind them who are the greatest threat to Hong Kong and the common enemy of the international community," the principal official said in a statement.

Blasting some British and US politicians who openly condoned the black-clad rioters by focusing their accusations on the Hong Kong police, the principal official expressed "strong disapproval and firm opposition," saying those politicians confounded right and wrong in total disregard of the fact.

When tackling the similar demonstrations in their own countries, the British and the US governments will give a green light to the police and never hesitate to employ all kinds of weapons including guns, the statement said, citing a foreign media report that the shooting by US police in law enforcement caused a casualty of nearly 1,000 in 2017 alone.

"So why do the politicians of these countries turn a blind eye to the rioters' violence and fire accusations instead against the police's law enforcement efforts when it comes to Hong Kong?" said the statement.

"We are highly indignant over and firmly opposed to such outright double standards and gross interference."

The principal official said no time should be lost to stop violence and chaos, which threaten not only the Hong Kong citizens but also the interests of the international community as stakeholders in the city.

"A growing number of Hong Kong citizens are condemning the violence by the black-clad rioters, and those behind the scenes who are manipulating the youth as their pawns to take risks for their agenda," it said.

"It is our hope that all international stakeholders who love Hong Kong will speak up against violence by the black-clad rioters and the evil intention of those behind them, and support the SAR government in stopping violence, ending the chaos and restoring order."