Ambassador Liu Xiaoming made a statement on recent events in Hong Kong and answered questions from Chinese and foreign journalists

驻英大使刘晓明就近期香港事态发表声明并回答来自中外记者的提问

（摘自中国日报双语新闻）

2019年8月15日

A handful of extreme radicals have been undermining rule of law, social order and “One Country, Two Systems” in Hong Kong. But they have taken cover under the so-called “pro-democracy movement” to hide their real intention and to whitewash their disruptive actions. This “neo-extremism” is both highly deceptive and destructive.

一些极端激进分子在香港兴风作浪，打着所谓民主的幌子，掩盖其反法治、反社会、反“一国两制”的真实面目和险恶用心，是兼具欺骗性与破坏性的“新极端主义”。

The “neo-extremists” stormed the Legislative Council Complex, attacked the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Hong Kong, assaulted police officers and brought Hong Kong airport to a standstill by illegal assembly. Their moves are severe and violent offences, and already show signs of terrorism.

他们打砸立法会，冲击中联办，暴力袭击警员，在香港机场非法集结致使机场全面停止运营，已经构成严重暴力犯罪，开始出现恐怖主义的苗头。

The Central Government of China would never allow a few violent off enders to drag Hong Kong down a dangerous abyss. We would never allow anyone to harm the rule of law and sound development in Hong Kong. We would never allow anyone to undermine “One Country, Two Systems” at any excuse.

中国中央政府绝不会放任少数人以暴力行径把香港拖向危险的深渊，绝不允许任何人破坏香港的法治与良好发展局面，绝不允许任何人以任何借口破坏“一国两制”。

Should the situation in Hong Kong deteriorate further into unrests uncontrollable for the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), the Central Government would not sit on its hands and watch. We have enough solutions and enough power within the limit of the Basic Law to quell any unrest swiftly.

如果香港局势进一步恶化，出现香港特区政府不能控制的动乱，中国中央政府绝不会坐视不管。按照基本法规定，中国中央政府有足够多的办法、足够强大的力量迅速平息可能出现的各种动乱。

Then, the Ambassador put forward four suggestions for a smooth and orderly end of Hong Kong's affairs:

接着，大使提出了平稳有序结束香港事态的四点意见：

First, the priority now is to support the SAR Government in ending violence and restoring order.

第一，坚决支持香港特区政府止暴制乱、恢复秩序。

I hope that Hong Kong people, especially the young people who have been led astray, would have a clear understanding of the current situation in Hong Kong and cherish the sound development of Hong Kong after the handover, which has not come by easily. I hope they will keep the big picture in mind, rally behind the Chief Executive and the SAR Government, uphold rule of law and justice in Hong Kong, and safeguard national unification as well as Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability.

希望广大香港市民，特别是一些不明真相的年轻人，认清当前香港局势，珍惜香港回归后来之不易的良好发展局面，顾全大局，团结一致，坚定不移挺特首、挺政府，守护香港的法治与正义，维护祖国统一和香港繁荣稳定。

Second, the violent offenders must be brought to justice in accordance with law.

第二，坚决依法严惩暴力犯罪分子。

Third, foreign forces must stop interfering in Hong Kong's affairs.

第三，外部势力停止干预香港事务。

Some Western politicians and organisations have publicly or covertly given various types of support to the violent radicals, and tried to interfere in the judicial independence of Hong Kong and obstruct Hong Kong police from bringing the violent offenders to justice.

一些西方国家政客和机构明里暗里为暴力激进分子提供各种支持，为他们撑腰打气，甚至干扰香港司法独立，阻碍香港警方将暴力犯罪分子绳之以法。

I want to reiterate here that Hong Kong is part of China; no foreign country should interfere in Hong Kong affairs.

我想重申，香港是中国的香港，香港事务绝不容外国插手。

We urge those foreign forces to respect China’s sovereignty and security, immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs, stop interfering in China’s internal affairs, and stop conniving in violent offences.

我们奉劝那些外国势力，尊重中国主权和安全，立即停止以任何方式干预香港事务和中国内政，立即停止纵容暴力犯罪。

They should not misjudge the situation and go down the wrong path. Otherwise, they will “lift the stone only to drop it on their own feet”.

不要误判形势，在错误的路上越走越远，否则必将搬起石头砸自己的脚。

Fourth, the media must shoulder due social responsibilities.

第四，媒体承担起应有的社会责任。

Since what happened in Hong Kong, I have to say, the Western media have failed to play a credible role. Instead of reporting the situation in a just and objective manner, they have confused right and wrong, given unbalanced account and misled the public.

香港事态发生以来，西方媒体扮演了十分不光彩的角色，不仅没有公正客观报道，反而混淆是非、颠倒黑白、误导公众。

Such selective reporting and distortion have resulted in the prevalence of wrong information and have misled the public, especially young people in Hong Kong. It is fair to say that Western media have inescapable responsibility for the current situation in Hong Kong!

正是这些媒体的“选择性失声”和“歪曲性报道”，使错误舆论大行其道，误导了许多不明真相的民众特别是香港年轻人。可以说，西方媒体对香港今天的局面负有不可推卸的责任！

I am confident that with the support of the Central Government of China and under the leadership of the SAR Government and Chief Executive Carrie Lam, Hong Kong will bring violence to an end and restore law and order at an early date. Hong Kong, the “oriental pearl”, will once again shine brightly.

我坚信，在中国中央政府的大力支持下，在香港特区政府和林郑月娥行政长官的带领下，香港社会一定能够尽快止暴制乱，尽早恢复正常秩序，使香港这颗东方明珠重放光彩。

Question: From your opening remarks, the behavior of some protesters are showing signs of terrorism. I wonder whether you might explain to us, what would be the redline, or the turning point, or the moment which constitute terrorism?

记者：根据您的开场致辞，某些示威者的行为展示出了恐怖主义的苗头，不知您是否可以解释一下，恐怖主义的红线或转折点是什么？

Answer: I think from both the video clips and also what is happening in Hong Kong now, especially what happened at the airport, it is already drawing worldwide condemnation. Many media regard it as a terrorist act. It’s no different from terrorists attacking police, attacking travelers. And even now attacking journalists, one of your colleagues from China. So we call it a symptom of terrorism, neo-terrorism. I would call it “neo-extremism”.

刘大使：我认为不论从刚才的视频中还是香港正在发生的情况，尤其是在机场发生的情况，他们的残暴行为已经受到全世界范围的谴责，很多媒体都认为这是恐怖主义行为，与其他恐怖分子袭击警员、攻击游客的行为无异，如今还袭击了一名你们的中国记者同行，我们称之为恐怖主义苗头、新恐怖主义，我认为这是“新极端主义”。

（编辑：宫月迎）