US President Donald Trump has issued a tweet saying his intelligence services had informed him that Beijing was "moving troops to the Border with Hong Kong," adding that "Everyone should be calm and safe!"
Our Intelligence has informed us that the Chinese Government is moving troops to the Border with Hong Kong. Everyone should be calm and safe!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 13 августа 2019 г.
In another tweet issued minutes earlier, Trump said he and the United States were being blamed for "the problems going on in Hong Kong," adding that he couldn't imagine why this was the case.
Many are blaming me, and the United States, for the problems going on in Hong Kong. I can’t imagine why?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 13 августа 2019 г.
The situation in Hong Kong remains tense, with demonstrators flooding Hong Kong's International Airport and halting all flights for a second straight day on Tuesday. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said the protesters' recent actions were quickly pushing the autonomous Chinese city to a point of no return and "making it a dangerous place." Lam cited the paralysed airport, "the Cross-Harbour Tunnel blockade, attacks on police stations, Molotov cocktails and smoke bomb attacks," which she said had "plunged Hong Kong into the vortex of chaos."
Also on Tuesday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet called for an impartial probe into alleged instances of illegal use of force against demonstrators in Hong Kong. China's mission at the UN condemned Bachelet's "wrongful statement," accusing her of interfering in China's affairs and of sending the 'wrong signal' to 'criminal offenders'.
US Outraged by Chinese Investigations Into US Diplomats' Alleged Role in Protests
Last week, a State Department spokesperson called China a "thuggish regime" after Beijing disclosed the personal information of a US diplomat who met with leaders of Hong Kong's 'pro-democracy movement'. On Friday, the State Department reiterated its concerns, accusing the Chinese media of going "from irresponsible to dangerous" in their reporting on US diplomats' activities in the city. Chinese authorities have repeatedly demanded that US diplomats stick to their main duties, and avoid interacting with or providing guidance to the demonstrators.
Hong Kong returned to China in 1997 after the UK formally relinquished its administration of the former colony. The autonomous city saw an outbreak of mass protests in early June over an extradition bill which would have allowed authorities to extradite criminal suspects to jurisdictions with which it did not have a formal extradition agreement, including mainland China. Mass protests eventually prompted the local government to indefinitely suspend the bill, but the protests have continued, with demonstrators demanding the complete withdrawal of the extradition amendments, and other measures, including immunity from criminal prosecution for protesters.
