Rioters seek to topple HKSAR government: Commissioner

Protracted social unrest in Hong Kong is an attempt to overthrow the special administrative region government and turn the city into an "independent or semi-independent political entity", said Xie Feng, Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in the Hong Kong SAR on Thursday.

He appealed to the international community to help Hong Kong maintain its prosperity and stability, and jointly combat the scourge of violence.