<p>Hong Kong's status as a Chinese territory is not up for discussion and Beijing will not sit idly by if the situation there endangers national security, China's Hong Kong affairs office said on Tuesday.</p>

<p>Xu Luying, spokeswoman of the central Chinese government's Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, told reporters the central government is confident that Hong Kong's government has the will and ability to end the violence as soon as possible.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Beijing also threw its backing behind <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/we-firmly-support-carrie-lam-in-leading-hong-kong-china-247307">Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam</a> after an audio recording emerged of her saying she wanted to quit over three months of unrest in the semi-autonomous city.</p>

<p>"We firmly support Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam in leading the SAR (Special Administrative Region) government," Yang Guang, spokesman for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of China's central government, said at a press conference.</p>

<p>Hong Kong has endured dozens of sometimes violent pro-democracy protests triggered by opposition to Lam's bid to push through a law allowing extraditions to mainland China.</p>

<p>The demonstrations have evolved into a wider democracy campaign involving clashes between protesters and police, in the biggest challenge to China's rule over Hong Kong since the city's 1997 handover from the British.</p>

<p>The Chinese government expressed its support for Lam after Reuters news agency released an audio recording of her telling business leaders last week that she wanted to step down and take responsibility for the unrest.</p>

<p>Lam herself insisted earlier on Tuesday she had no intention of stepping down.</p>

<p>"I told myself repeatedly in the last three months that I and my team should stay on to help Hong Kong," Lam told a press conference in the city.</p>

<p>Lam said she had "not even contemplated" discussing her resignation with the Chinese government, which gives Hong Kong a restricted form of autonomy.</p>


Hong Kong's status as a Chinese territory is not up for discussion and Beijing will not sit idly by if the situation there endangers national security, China's Hong Kong affairs office said on Tuesday.

Hong Kong's status as a Chinese territory is not up for discussion and Beijing will not sit idly by if the situation there endangers national security, China's Hong Kong affairs office said on Tuesday. Xu Luying, spokeswoman of the central Chinese government's Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, told reporters the central government is confident that Hong Kong's government has the will and ability to end the violence as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Beijing also threw its backing behind Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam after an audio recording emerged of her saying she wanted to quit over three months of unrest in the semi-autonomous city. "We firmly support Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam in leading the SAR (Special Administrative Region) government," Yang Guang, spokesman for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of China's central government, said at a press conference. Hong Kong has endured dozens of sometimes violent pro-democracy protests triggered by opposition to Lam's bid to push through a law allowing extraditions to mainland China. The demonstrations have evolved into a wider democracy campaign involving clashes between protesters and police, in the biggest challenge to China's rule over Hong Kong since the city's 1997 handover from the British. The Chinese government expressed its support for Lam after Reuters news agency released an audio recording of her telling business leaders last week that she wanted to step down and take responsibility for the unrest. Lam herself insisted earlier on Tuesday she had no intention of stepping down. "I told myself repeatedly in the last three months that I and my team should stay on to help Hong Kong," Lam told a press conference in the city. Lam said she had "not even contemplated" discussing her resignation with the Chinese government, which gives Hong Kong a restricted form of autonomy.

Hong Kong's status not up for discussion: China

<p>Beijing on Tuesday threw its backing behind <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/not-even-contemplated-hong-kong-leader-carrie-lam-insists-she-will-stay-on-247240">Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam</a> after an audio recording emerged of her saying she wanted to quit over three months of unrest in the semi-autonomous city.</p>

<p>"We firmly support Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam in leading the SAR (Special Administrative Region) government," Yang Guang, spokesman for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of China's central government, said at a press conference.</p>

<p>Hong Kong has endured dozens of sometimes violent pro-democracy protests triggered by opposition to Lam's bid to push through a law allowing extraditions to mainland China.</p>

<p><strong>Watch: Carrie Lam - never tendered a resignation to Beijing</strong></p>

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<p>The demonstrations have evolved into a wider democracy campaign involving clashes between protesters and police, in the biggest challenge to China's rule over Hong Kong since the city's 1997 handover from the British.</p>

<p>The Chinese government expressed its support for Lam after Reuters news agency released an audio recording of her telling business leaders last week that she wanted to step down and take responsibility for the unrest.</p>

<p>Lam herself insisted earlier on Tuesday she had no intention of stepping down.</p>

<p>"I told myself repeatedly in the last three months that I and my team should stay on to help Hong Kong," Lam told a press conference in the city.</p>

<p>Lam said she had "not even contemplated" discussing her resignation with the Chinese government, which gives Hong Kong a restricted form of autonomy.</p>


Beijing on Tuesday threw its backing behind Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam after an audio recording emerged of her saying she wanted to quit over three months of unrest in the semi-autonomous city.

Beijing on Tuesday threw its backing behind Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam after an audio recording emerged of her saying she wanted to quit over three months of unrest in the semi-autonomous city. "We firmly support Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam in leading the SAR (Special Administrative Region) government," Yang Guang, spokesman for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of China's central government, said at a press conference. Hong Kong has endured dozens of sometimes violent pro-democracy protests triggered by opposition to Lam's bid to push through a law allowing extraditions to mainland China. Watch: Carrie Lam - never tendered a resignation to Beijing × The demonstrations have evolved into a wider democracy campaign involving clashes between protesters and police, in the biggest challenge to China's rule over Hong Kong since the city's 1997 handover from the British. The Chinese government expressed its support for Lam after Reuters news agency released an audio recording of her telling business leaders last week that she wanted to step down and take responsibility for the unrest. Lam herself insisted earlier on Tuesday she had no intention of stepping down. "I told myself repeatedly in the last three months that I and my team should stay on to help Hong Kong," Lam told a press conference in the city. Lam said she had "not even contemplated" discussing her resignation with the Chinese government, which gives Hong Kong a restricted form of autonomy.

We firmly support Carrie Lam in leading Hong Kong: China

<p>China will not "sit by and watch" and is ready to "quell the unrest swiftly" if the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-china-should-treat-hong-kong-humanely-before-trade-deal-can-be-agreed-243136">crisis in Hong Kong</a> becomes "uncontrollable", China's ambassador to London said on Thursday.</p>

<p>"If the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/we-urge-china-to-adhere-to-sino-british-joint-declaration-on-hong-kong-us-state-department-243027">situation deteriorates further into unrest</a> uncontrollable by the SAR (Special Administrative Region) government, then the central government will not sit by and watch," Liu Xiaoming said in a televised press conference.</p>

<p>"We have enough solutions and enough power to quell the unrest swiftly," he said.</p>

<p>Images taken by AFP earlier on Thursday showed thousands of Chinese military personnel waving red flags and parading at a sports stadium in the city of Shenzhen, just across the border from Hong Kong.</p>

<p>Dozens of armoured personnel carriers and supply trucks were also parked nearby.</p>

<p>"We hope this will end in an orderly way. In the meantime we are fully prepared for the worst," Liu said.</p>

<p><strong>Watch: UK condemns violence in Hong Kong</strong></p>

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<p>He also protested against "foreign interference" in the Hong Kong protests and urged British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government to handle the issue with "great caution".</p>

<p>"I think some politicians in this country... still regard Hong Kong as part of the British empire," he said.</p>

<p>The Hong Kong protests were sparked by opposition to a plan to allow extraditions to the mainland, but have since morphed into a wider -- sometimes violent -- call for democratic rights.</p>

<p>The movement represents the greatest challenge to Beijing's authority since the city was handed back by the British in 1997 under a deal that allowed it to keep freedoms that many Hong Kongers feel are being eroded.</p>

<p>China earlier this month warned Britain to stop "meddling" after Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab called Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam and emphasised the need for a "fully independent investigation into recent events".&nbsp;</p>


China will not "sit by and watch" and is ready to "quell the unrest swiftly" if the crisis in Hong Kong becomes "uncontrollable", China's ambassador to London said on Thursday.

China will not "sit by and watch" and is ready to "quell the unrest swiftly" if the crisis in Hong Kong becomes "uncontrollable", China's ambassador to London said on Thursday. "If the situation deteriorates further into unrest uncontrollable by the SAR (Special Administrative Region) government, then the central government will not sit by and watch," Liu Xiaoming said in a televised press conference. "We have enough solutions and enough power to quell the unrest swiftly," he said. Images taken by AFP earlier on Thursday showed thousands of Chinese military personnel waving red flags and parading at a sports stadium in the city of Shenzhen, just across the border from Hong Kong. Dozens of armoured personnel carriers and supply trucks were also parked nearby. "We hope this will end in an orderly way. In the meantime we are fully prepared for the worst," Liu said. Watch: UK condemns violence in Hong Kong × He also protested against "foreign interference" in the Hong Kong protests and urged British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government to handle the issue with "great caution". "I think some politicians in this country... still regard Hong Kong as part of the British empire," he said. The Hong Kong protests were sparked by opposition to a plan to allow extraditions to the mainland, but have since morphed into a wider -- sometimes violent -- call for democratic rights. The movement represents the greatest challenge to Beijing's authority since the city was handed back by the British in 1997 under a deal that allowed it to keep freedoms that many Hong Kongers feel are being eroded. China earlier this month warned Britain to stop "meddling" after Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab called Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam and emphasised the need for a "fully independent investigation into recent events".

China 'will not sit by' if Hong Kong crisis worsens, says Chinese envoy to UK