Trump offers to meet Chinese president over Hong Kong crisis
● Satellite images show military vehicles massing across border
US President Donald Trump says he believes his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping can solve the unrest in Hong Kong and suggested a personal meeting to discuss the crisis.
He added that a deal between the US and China to resolve mounting trade tensions could wait until calm is restored.
In a tweet, mr trump praised Mr Xi as a “great leader” and added: “I have ZERO doubt that if President Xi wants to quickly and humanely solve the Hong Kong problem, he can do it. Personal meeting?”
He said trade talks with China can wait until problems in Hong Kong have eased, tweet belonging ing: “Of course China wants to make a deal. Let them work humanely with Hong Kong first!”
Trump has previously said little about the protests, except to make it clear he believes that Hong Kong and China need to “deal with that themselves”. He has urged the two sides to exercise caution and voiced hopes that the situation will be resolved peacefully.
His latest comments came as senior Hong Kong police denied any knowledge of plans for Chinese forces to join efforts to quell mass prodemocracy demonstrations in the territory, despite images this week showing paramilitary exercises in a neighbouring city.
The officers added that they were unsure whether they would be informed ahead of time if Chinese paramilitary or army forces were deployed in Hong Kong.
Satellite photos show armoured personnel carriers to the China’s paramilitary People’s Armed Police parked in a sports complex in the city of Shenzhen, across the border in Hong Kong, in what some have interpreted as a threat from Beijing to use increased force against protesters.
Protests that began in early June have paralysed parts of the territory, including its international airport, and led to more than 700 arrests.
The largely peaceful rallies attended by tens of thousands of residents have increasingly concluded in clashes with police.
While protesters are said to have thrown bricks, petrol bombs and other objects at officers, riot police have countered with tear gas and rubber bullets. Flights have mostly resumed after being halted by mass demonstrations and clashes at Hong Kong’s airport on Monday and Tuesday.
Police made five arrests on Tuesday night and 17 more on Wednesday during clashes outside police stations in the Sham Shui Po district.
While the current mass movement was initially a response to now-suspended extradition legislation, the focus has since shifted to democracy and demands for an independent inquiry into police brutality.
China’s ambassador to the UK said yesterday the Beijing government would not “sit on its hands” if the situation in Hong Kong continues to deteriorate after more than two months of near-daily street protests.
Liu Xiaoming said extremists masquerading as prodemocracy activists were dragging Hong Kong “down a dangerous road”.