Beijing, June 12: Chinese central government has on Wednesday firmly reiterated its support for the Hong Kong government on passing the extradition law, which permits suspects in the territory to be extradited to mainland China for their court trial, the foreign ministry said.
During a media briefing in Beijing, foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang told reporters any move that causes harm to Hong Kong are strongly opposed by the mainstream Hong Kong public opinion.
Shuang also asked the United States to engage with Hong Kong over the matter and act cautiously, according to Reuters news reports.
Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Hong Kong on Wednesday, continuing their demonstration against a controversial “extradition bill”. Protests broke as lawmakers were slated to address the second reading of the extradition bill alongside holding a debate over the matter.
Around 5,000 security personnel were deployed in the region, sealing the legislative council centre of Hong Kong, around which hundreds of demonstrators were holding a march.
About a million people took to the streets on Sunday, marking the largest march in nearly 15 years in Hong Kong, to protest against the draft bill which chief executive Carrie Lam, the region’s pro-China leader, has been long defending.
Previously, Lam has said, “This is a very important piece of legislation that will help to uphold justice and also ensure that Hong Kong will fulfill her international obligations in terms of cross-boundary and transitional crimes.”
On Monday, the protests adhere a violent aura as millions of demonstrators clashed with security forces around the city’s parliament.
Also read: Anti-extradition bill protest: 5,000 security personnel deployed in Hong Kong