Hong Kong, Oct 1: As China celebrates its national day – 70th anniversary of Communist Rule, Hong Kong protesters took to the streets of the city on Tuesday and clashed with riot police.
Hong Kong Police fired tear gas and water cannons in efforts to disperse anti-government protesters – found throwing petrol bombs near the central authority offices. The security forces also ordered the clearance of the Legislative Council building that was trashed by the protesters a week ago.
Riot Police have fired live rounds at pro-China rallies and a man was reported shot in the chest while demonstrating in the Tsuen Wan district, two pro-democracy lawmakers said.
China is today celebrating its 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic with a massive military parade in capital Beijing to mark the Communist Party’s seven-decade ruling in the nation, according to Reuters news reports.
At Golden Bauhinia Square, several Hong Kong government officials and their guests watched China’s National Day event celebration, while leader Carrie Lam attended the live commemoration in Beijing with more than 200 legislators of her government.
China has over doubled its ground security forces’ deployment in Hong Kong, according to security experts and foreign representatives, preparing for potential civil unrest in the world financial hub, ahead of its national day celebration on October 1.
Earlier on August 29, China has ordered its military to deploy a new batch of armed personnel into Hong Kong, terming the development as “routine”, the state-run media reported on Thursday, as pro-democracy protesters in the territory continue to ramp up the Asian financial centre.
State media described the early-hour troop movement as routine, while Western and Asian diplomats watching PLA actions in Hong Kong had been expecting it. Though the rotation move was described as routine, its timing is expected to strike nerves in Hong Kong’s Special Administrative Region.
China has in recent weeks ratcheted up the pressure in the city after it was disclosed Beijing’s armed forces were summoning across its border in Shenzhen, according to Al-Jazeera.
Beijing had also cautioned it wouldn’t “sit by and watch” as the civil unrest in the territory continues against a controversial extradition bill that would allow Hong Kong to send suspects to mainland China for court prosecution.