PM rejects China’s HK rhetoric

Scott Morrison has rejected China’s claim that mass protests in Hong Kong are showing ‘‘sprouts of terrorism’’ and called for a peaceful resolution to the 10-week stand-off.

The prime minister says the situation in the Chinese territory is ‘‘very, very serious’’ and has urged political leaders to seek a peaceful resolution.

There are mounting fears China could be about to escalate its response to the mass rallies by anti-government protesters.

Chinese authorities have accused protesters, including those who shut down Hong Kong’s international airport on Monday, of ‘‘serious crimes with sprouts of terrorism emerging’’.

Some Hong Kong legal experts have warned the use of the term terrorism could see extensive anti-terror laws and powers used against protesters.

Some flights out of Hong Kong resumed yesterday but many services were still listed as cancelled. Morrison has stopped short of telling Australians not to travel to Hong Kong but rejected China’s characterisation of the protests as nascent terrorism.

‘‘That’s certainly not the rhetoric that I would certainly use to describe those events,’’ he said.

‘‘Of course we’re concerned, particularly because of the number of Australians, residents and citizens, that are in Hong Kong, both on a long-term basis and on a short-term basis.’’

Consulate staff had been busy helping people stranded in Hong Kong because of the airport shutdown.

He said the Chinese territory’s leader Carrie Lam must seek to de-escalate the situation and to listen ‘‘carefully to what people are saying in Hong Kong and work towards a peaceful and calm resolution of what is a very, very serious issue’’.–