A spokesman for China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Sunday said that the recent demonstrations here have gone far beyond the limits of peaceful and rational protests which Beijing will not condone under any circumstances.
In a response to the deteriorating situation of recent protests, the spokesman said in a statement: "Blatant violation of the law, wanton destruction of public peace and violent attacks on the police will harm Hong Kong's society, economy, and our people's livelihood."
The spokesman added that the recent protests which were organised in the name of expressing demands have intensified illegal and road-blocking acts.
"Protesters maliciously committed serious unlawful acts including making violent attacks in different districts, assaulting police officers and committing arson. Protesters further blocked both ways of the tunnel tubes of Hong Hom Cross Harbour Tunnel as well as major trunk roads such as Lung Cheung Road yesterday and early this morning, causing serious adverse impacts on the public," he said.
Regarding the general strike being planned across the city on Monday, China urged that while expressing their demands, protesters should abide by the law and respect the rights of other members of the public, the spokesman said.
Beijing also called on the general public to "stand fast at their posts and cherish Hong Kong's hard-earned international financial centre status, stable economic base, and a diverse and inclusive social environment."
Hong Kong's economy is suffering from both external headwinds and local social issues. The latest economic data, which is the worst over the past decade, shows that the economy is weakening and the risk of an economic downturn is increasing, according to the spokesman.
More From This Section
"Any large-scale strikes and acts of violence will affect the livelihood and economic activities of Hong Kong citizens. This will only undermine further the local economy that is facing downside risks, as well as the confidence of the international community and overseas investors in Hong Kong's society and economy, causing loss and damages to law and order, economy, people's livelihood, employment and eventually to the detriment of all quarters of society," the spokesman added.
The spokesman reiterated that the entire civil service has to stay united amid all the pressure and challenges.
"This is a difficult moment and government colleagues must act in the overall interest of Hong Kong and work together to uphold the core values of the civil service," said the spokesman.
"The effective operation of the Government and provision of public services must not be affected by any personal beliefs in order to avoid undermining public confidence in the impartial discharge of duties by civil servants," he added.